Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

वायुवेगेन सहसा ययौ यमरथं प्रति । पदातिः स रथं तं च समारुह्य यमं तदा

Transliteration

vāyuvegena sahasā yayau yamarathaṃ prati | padātiḥ sa rathaṃ taṃ ca samāruhya yamaṃ tadā

Translation

সে বায়ুবেগে হঠাৎ যমের রথের দিকে ধাবিত হল। পদাতিক হয়েও সে সেই রথে আরোহন করে তখনই যমের নিকটে পৌঁছাল।

Word by Word

• वायु-वेगेन: with the speed of the wind
• वायु-वेगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वायोः वेगः)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यम-रथम्: Yama's chariot
• यम-रथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य रथः)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Direction/Goal (प्रति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/निपात (preposition-like particle)

• पदातिः: the foot-soldier (on foot)
• पदातिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

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

• रथम्: the chariot
• रथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• समारुह्य: having mounted
• समारुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having mounted)

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wind-swift warrior (Grasana) rushes on foot and vaults onto Yama’s chariot, closing distance instantly; Yama stands poised with regal severity, chariot emblazoned with dharma symbols, horses rearing.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamaratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reckless audacity drives one to challenge even Yama; Purāṇas portray such overreach as spiritually perilous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.