Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

यथा सिंहोगजान् सर्वान् विचित्य विचरेद्वनम् । तद्वदेकेन ते देवा जिताः सर्वे पराङ्मुखाः

Transliteration

yathā siṃhogajān sarvān vicitya vicaredvanam | tadvadekena te devā jitāḥ sarve parāṅmukhāḥ

Translation

Wie ein Löwe, der, nachdem er alle Elefanten zerstreut hat, nach Belieben im Wald umherstreift, so wurden jene Devas von einem einzigen besiegt, und alle wandten sich zur Flucht ab.

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle: as/like)

• सिंहः: a lion
• सिंहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; Nominative singular (masc.)

• गजान्: elephants
• गजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; Accusative plural (masc.)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; Accusative plural (masc.)

• विचित्य: having chosen/discriminated
• विचित्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + चि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive); having distinguished/selected

• विचरेत्: would roam
• विचरेत्: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person) एकवचनम्; Parasmaipada

• वनम्: the forest
• वनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; Accusative singular (neuter)

• तद्वत्: so/likewise
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तद् + वत् (like that)

• एकेन: by one (person)
• एकेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular (masc.)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; Nominative plural (masc.)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; Nominative plural (masc.)

• जिताः: conquered/defeated
• जिताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) → जित (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (PPP); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; Past passive participle, nominative plural (masc.)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; Nominative plural (masc.)

• पराङ्मुखाः: turned away/fleeing
• पराङ्मुखाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; Nominative plural (masc.); बहुव्रीहिः: पराङ् (away) + मुख (face) = ‘having faces turned away’

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva-sattama (addressed king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lion-in-forest metaphor visualized: the lone conqueror stands like a lion; devas, likened to elephants, scatter in disarray, turning their faces away in flight.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma can appear overwhelmingly strong; the Purāṇas often use such moments to prepare for divine intervention and restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.