Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

पर्वताभे गजे भीमे मदस्राविणि दुर्दमे । सितचित्रपताके तु प्रभिन्नकरटामुखे

Transliteration

parvatābhe gaje bhīme madasrāviṇi durdame | sitacitrapatāke tu prabhinnakaraṭāmukhe

Translation

Trên lưng voi khổng lồ như núi—đáng sợ, rỉ chảy dịch động dục, khó bề khuất phục—phất cờ trắng có hoa văn, với hai thái dương nứt toác tuôn trào (hắn tiến đến).

Word by Word

• पर्वताभे: in/at (one) mountain-like
• पर्वताभे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्वत + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• गजे: on the elephant
• गजे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative singular masculine)

• भीमे: terrible
• भीमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• मदस्राविणि: oozing rut-fluid
• मदस्राविणि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद + स्राविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• दुर्दमे: hard to subdue
• दुर्दमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• सितचित्रपताके: with white, variegated banners
• सितचित्रपताके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित + चित्र + पताका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधानार्थक/विरोधार्थक-निपातः (particle: but/indeed)

• प्रभिन्नकरटामुखे: with split temples and face (of the elephant)
• प्रभिन्नकरटामुखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभिन्न + करट + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing context from 20.1)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mountain-like war-elephant surges forward, rut-fluid streaming from split temples; a white patterned banner flutters above; the atmosphere is dust-laden and ominous as the beast advances toward Hari’s side.

Characters & Entities

• Elephant (war-mount)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer power and terrifying display are depicted as transient; dharma is not measured by spectacle but by alignment with the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None stated; the verse is a martial description rather than a tīrtha-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.