Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

नानावाद्यपरिस्यंदसाग्रेसरमहारथाः । नानाशौर्यकथासक्तास्तस्मिन्सैन्ये महारथाः

Transliteration

nānāvādyaparisyaṃdasāgresaramahārathāḥ | nānāśauryakathāsaktāstasminsainye mahārathāḥ

Translation

In jenem Heer waren große Wagenkämpfer, die die Vorhut anführten, während die Klänge vieler Instrumente wie ein Strom dahinflossen; und jene mächtigen Streiter waren ganz in vielfältige Erzählungen von Tapferkeit vertieft.

Word by Word

• nānā-vādya-parisyaṃda-sāgresara-mahārathāḥ: great chariot-warriors leading the procession of various instruments
• nānā-vādya-parisyaṃda-sāgresara-mahārathāḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + vādya (प्रातिपदिक) + parisyaṃda (प्रातिपदिक) + sa-āgresara (प्रातिपदिक) + mahāratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (नानावाद्यपरिस्यन्दस्य अग्रसराः महा-रथाः)

• nānā-śaurya-kathā-āsaktāḥ: attached to tales of various acts of valor
• nānā-śaurya-kathā-āsaktāḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + śaurya (प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक) + āsakta (कृदन्त; सञ्ज्/सक्त धात्वर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-कृदन्तः ‘आसक्त’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नानाशौर्यकथासु आसक्ताः)

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्

• sainye: army
• sainye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• mahārathāḥ: great chariot-warriors
• mahārathāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahāratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vanguard of mahārathas advancing with streaming, overlapping sounds of many instruments; warriors animatedly recount valor-stories, gesturing with weapons, chariots rolling forward in formation.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Boasting in one’s prowess and being carried by noise and spectacle is contrasted with the quiet strength of dharma-guided action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is part of a war-march description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.