Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

माहिष्मत्याः पतिः श्रीमान्राजा ह्यक्षौहिणीपतिः । स कदाचिन्मृगान्हन्तुं निर्जगाम महाबलः

Transliteration

māhiṣmatyāḥ patiḥ śrīmānrājā hyakṣauhiṇīpatiḥ | sa kadācinmṛgānhantuṃ nirjagāma mahābalaḥ

Translation

মাহিষ্মতীর সেই শ্রীমান রাজা, যিনি অক্ষৌহিণী সেনার অধিপতি ছিলেন, একদিন মহাবলশালী হয়ে হরিণ শিকার করতে বেরিয়ে পড়লেন।

Word by Word

• माहिष्मत्याः: of Māhiṣmatī
• माहिष्मत्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहिष्मती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पतिः: lord, ruler
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• श्रीमान्: prosperous, illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—निश्चय/हेतु

• अक्षौहिणीपतिः: commander/lord of an akṣauhiṇī army
• अक्षौहिणीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षौहिणी + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—अक्षौहिण्याः पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मृगान्: deer, animals
• मृगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; अर्थः—कर्तुम् (to do)

• निर्जगाम: went out, departed
• निर्जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• महाबलः: mighty, of great strength
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महद् बलं यस्य/महाबलः (कर्मधारयः)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Māhiṣmatī (Revā/Narmadā corridor)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An illustrious king departs Māhiṣmatī with an akṣauhiṇī-like retinue; banners, chariots, cavalry; the forest edge ahead where deer are seen—suggesting the impending encounter with ascetic power.

Characters & Entities

• Māhiṣmatī
• Kārtavīrya (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even powerful rulers’ actions initiate karmic chains; Purāṇas often use such moments to unfold dharma-based consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Māhiṣmatī is mentioned as the king’s city; within Revā Khaṇḍa it anchors the narrative in the Narmadā sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.