Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 145

Devanagari script

गतिं न विविदुश्चापि श्रांता दैत्याश्च देवताः । दैत्यास्त्रभिन्नसर्वांगा गावः शीतार्दिता इव

Transliteration

gatiṃ na vividuścāpi śrāṃtā daityāśca devatāḥ | daityāstrabhinnasarvāṃgā gāvaḥ śītārditā iva

Translation

لم يهتدِ أيٌّ من الفريقين إلى سبيلٍ للمضيّ قُدُمًا؛ فقد أضنا التعبُ الدايتيَةَ والآلهةَ معًا. وكانت أجسادهم ممزّقةً بسلاح الدايتيَة، يرتجفون كقطعان البقر إذا أصابها بردٌ قارس.

Word by Word

• गतिम्: a way/means (of escape)
• गतिम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• विविदुः: knew/found
• विविदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (particle: ‘also/even’)

• श्रान्ताः: exhausted
• श्रान्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रम् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative plural; adjective)

• दैत्याः: demons (Daityas)
• दैत्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative plural)

• दैत्य-अस्त्र-भिन्न-सर्व-अङ्गाः: with all limbs pierced by demon-weapons
• दैत्य-अस्त्र-भिन्न-सर्व-अङ्गाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद् + क्त) + सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative plural; ‘having all limbs pierced by Daitya weapons’)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative plural)

• शीत-आर्दिताः: afflicted by cold
• शीत-आर्दिताः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्दित (कृदन्त; √अर्द्/अर्दय् + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Feminine, Nominative plural; ‘afflicted by cold’)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (indeclinable: simile marker ‘like/as’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (contextual attribution for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Both sides stand battered and trembling; bodies lacerated by astras. The simile appears visually as wounded cattle shivering in cold wind, mirroring the warriors’ condition.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked conflict brings universal suffering; lasting resolution comes through higher wisdom and divine refuge, not mere force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.