Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

भग्नैषाश्च रथाः पेतुर्भग्नाक्षाः शकलीकृताः । पत्तयः कोटिशः पेतुस्तुरंगाश्च सहस्रशः

Transliteration

bhagnaiṣāśca rathāḥ peturbhagnākṣāḥ śakalīkṛtāḥ | pattayaḥ koṭiśaḥ petusturaṃgāśca sahasraśaḥ

Translation

Die Streitwagen stürzten, die Deichseln zerbrochen—die Achsen gebrochen, in Splitter zerschlagen. Fußsoldaten fielen zu Kroren, und Pferde zu Tausenden.

Word by Word

• भग्नैषाः: broken (these)
• भग्नैषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न (कृदन्त, √भञ्ज्) + इषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. nom. pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.)

• पेतुः: fell
• पेतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd pl. perfect)

• भग्नाक्षाः: with broken axles
• भग्नाक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न (कृदन्त, √भञ्ज्) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अक्षाणां भग्नाः) (masc. nom. pl.)

• शकलीकृताः: shattered into pieces
• शकलीकृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शकल (प्रातिपदिक) + √कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (past passive participle)

• पत्तयः: foot-soldiers
• पत्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.)

• कोटिशः: in crores
• कोटिशः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Form: परिमाण-अव्यय (adverb of number: ‘by crores’)

• पेतुः: fell
• पेतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd pl. perfect)

• तुरंगाः: horses
• तुरंगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Form: परिमाण-अव्यय (adverb of number: ‘by thousands’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devastated chariot-field: splintered chariots with broken axles, scattered wheels, fallen standards; countless foot-soldiers strewn across dust; horses collapsing amid flying debris.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mass destruction in war is portrayed to highlight the heavy cost of adharma and the fleeting nature of martial glory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is purely narrative.