Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

राज्ञश्च तारकस्यापि दर्शयिष्यथ किं मुखम् । विरतानां रणाच्चासौ क्रुद्धः प्राणान्हरिष्यति

Transliteration

rājñaśca tārakasyāpi darśayiṣyatha kiṃ mukham | viratānāṃ raṇāccāsau kruddhaḥ prāṇānhariṣyati

Translation

Und mit welchem Gesicht wollt ihr vor König Tāraka treten? Wenn ihr euch vom Schlachtfeld zurückzieht, wird er, im Zorn, euch das Leben selbst nehmen.

Word by Word

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — 'of the king'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• तारकस्य: of Tāraka
• तारकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — 'of Tāraka'

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• दर्शयिष्यथ: you will show
• दर्शयिष्यथ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त — 'you (pl.) will show'

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — interrogative used adjectivally

• मुखम्: face
• मुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'face'

• विरतानाम्: of those who have withdrawn
• विरतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-रम् (धातु) → विरत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन — 'of those who have desisted/withdrawn'

• रणात्: from battle
• रणात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन — 'from battle'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• असौ: he/that one
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — demonstrative 'that/he'

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) → क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — 'angered'

• प्राणान्: lives
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन — 'lives/breaths'

• हरिष्यति: will take away
• हरिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — 'will take away'

Speaker

Sūta narrating a daitya’s warning to fellow daityas (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A commander’s harsh admonition on the battlefield: warriors hesitate, and the speaker warns that the enemy-king Tāraka will slaughter deserters; banners, weapons, and tense faces under a cold, dim sky.

Characters & Entities

• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions have consequences: abandoning one’s duty invites both inner downfall and external punishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is within the mythic war account connected to Tāraka’s forces.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.