Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

चैत्रशुक्लाष्टमीं यावत्स्यंदनाश्वादिसूदनम् । चैत्रशुक्लनवम्यां तु सौमित्रेः शक्तिभेदने

Transliteration

caitraśuklāṣṭamīṃ yāvatsyaṃdanāśvādisūdanam | caitraśuklanavamyāṃ tu saumitreḥ śaktibhedane

Translation

Bis zum achten Tithi der lichten Hälfte des Caitra erfolgte die Vernichtung von Wagen, Pferden und dergleichen; und am neunten Tithi des Caitra geschah die Verwundung durch den Speer, der Saumitrī (Lakṣmaṇa) traf.

Word by Word

• चैत्र-शुक्ल-अष्टमीम्: (up to) the eighth (day) of the bright fortnight of Caitra
• चैत्र-शुक्ल-अष्टमीम्: Adhikarana (Time limit/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चैत्रस्य शुक्लस्य अष्टमी)

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Avyaya (Temporal limiter/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधि/पर्यन्तार्थक (until, as far as)

• स्यन्दन-अश्व-आदि-सूदनम्: the slaying of chariots, horses, etc.
• स्यन्दन-अश्व-आदि-सूदनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्यन्दनाश्वादीनां सूदनम्)

• चैत्र-शुक्ल-नवम्याम्: on the ninth (day) of the bright fortnight of Caitra
• चैत्र-शुक्ल-नवम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + नवमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चैत्रस्य शुक्लस्य नवमी)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Discourse particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• सौमित्रेः: of Saumitrī (Lakṣmaṇa)
• सौमित्रेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमित्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शक्ति-भेदने: in/at the piercing by the spear
• शक्ति-भेदने: Adhikarana (Event context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भेदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शक्तेः भेदनम्)

Speaker

Unnamed Purāṇic narrator (contextual narrator within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Broken chariots and fallen horses litter the field up to Caitra-śukla aṣṭamī; on navamī, Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitrī) is shown pierced by a spear, vānaras and Rāma reacting with shock and resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Caitra (month)
• Saumitrī (Lakṣmaṇa)
• Śakti (spear)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the righteous may be tested through sudden calamity; dharma responds through courage, service, and timely aid.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it documents sacred time (tithi) within the Purāṇic retelling.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on calendrical dating of events.