Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

रावणप्रतिमान्युद्धे पत्यश्वेभरथाकुलान् । अवधीस्त्वं मदर्थे वै महाबलपराक्रमान्

Transliteration

rāvaṇapratimānyuddhe patyaśvebharathākulān | avadhīstvaṃ madarthe vai mahābalaparākramān

Translation

Im Kampf erschlugst du um meinetwillen jene Rākṣasas, die Rāvaṇa selbst glichen—von großer Kraft und Tapferkeit—umringt von Fußvolk, Pferden, Elefanten und Wagen.

Word by Word

• रावणप्रतिमान्: Rāvaṇa-like
• रावणप्रतिमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रावण + प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपमान-तत्पुरुष (रावणस्य प्रतिमाः/सदृशाः), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पत्यश्वेभरथाकुलान्: crowded with foot-soldiers, horses, elephants, and chariots
• पत्यश्वेभरथाकुलान्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति + अश्व + इभ + रथ + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (पतिभिः अश्वैः इभैः रथैः च आकुलाः) — बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी/तृतीया-समर्थभावेन), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अवधीः: you slew
• अवधीः: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + हन् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: हन् (to slay), उपसर्ग: अव-

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मदर्थे: for my sake
• मदर्थे: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम अर्थः), पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (निमित्त/प्रयोजन), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed)

• महाबलपराक्रमान्: of great strength and valor
• महाबलपराक्रमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल + पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषसमास (महच्च बलं यस्य / महाबलः; महाबलश्च पराक्रमश्च यस्य इति विशेषणार्थे), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Śrī Rāma (addressing Hanūmān)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Hanumān

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hanumān stands amid a ring of enemy formations—foot soldiers, horses, elephants, chariots—slaying rākṣasas likened to Rāvaṇa in prowess; dust, banners, and broken weapons fill the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Rāma
• Hanūmān
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Strength becomes sacred when aligned with righteous purpose; courage is praised when used to protect the innocent and uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Rāmeśvaram is the māhātmya context; the remembrance of Laṅkā battles enriches the tīrtha’s sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction is present in this verse.