Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तश्चोदयामास रथं गरुडपूर्वजः । रथे स्थितोऽपि तैरश्वैः सितचामरधारिभिः

Transliteration

ityuktaścodayāmāsa rathaṃ garuḍapūrvajaḥ | rathe sthito'pi tairaśvaiḥ sitacāmaradhāribhiḥ

Translation

既如此被劝告，迦楼罗的兄长便催动战车前行；他虽立于车上，却有群马相随，并有执白色拂尘者侍立左右。

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (quotative/इति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• uktaḥ: having been addressed / spoken to
• uktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (वच् धातु) → ukta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत (past passive participle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• codayāmāsa: urged / set in motion
• codayāmāsa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cud (चुद् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense (णिच्) ‘to urge/drive’

• ratham: the chariot
• ratham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• garuḍapūrvajaḥ: the elder brother of Garuḍa
• garuḍapūrvajaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गरुडस्य पूर्वजः)

• rathe: on the chariot
• rathe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• sthitaḥ: standing / stationed
• sthitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• api: even / though
• api: Sambandha (particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-निपात (concessive ‘even/though’)

• taiḥ: by those
• taiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• aśvaiḥ: with horses
• aśvaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• sitacāmaradhāribhiḥ: by (those) bearing white yak-tail fans
• sitacāmaradhāribhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sita (प्रातिपदिक) + cāmara (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सितं चामरं धारयन्ति ये)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍuputra (addressed as ‘O son of Pāṇḍu’ in the surrounding passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine/heroic figure stands on a chariot as it is urged forward; horses surge ahead; attendants wave white chowries, signaling sovereignty and imminent combat.

Characters & Entities

• Aruṇa
• Garuḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through disciplined action and proper order—command, response, and readiness in service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this is descriptive battlefield narration rather than a sthala-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.