Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

मथनं दशभिश्चैव शुम्भं पंचभिरेव च । शतेन महिषं क्रुद्धो विव्याधोरसि माधवः

Transliteration

mathanaṃ daśabhiścaiva śumbhaṃ paṃcabhireva ca | śatena mahiṣaṃ kruddho vivyādhorasi mādhavaḥ

Translation

Mādhava, von Zorn entbrannt, traf Mathana mit zehn Pfeilen, Śumbha mit fünf und durchbohrte Mahiṣa mit hundert Pfeilen in der Brust.

Word by Word

• मथनम्: Mathana (a demon named Mathana)
• मथनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• दशभिः: with ten (arrows)
• दशभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शुम्भम्: Śumbha (demon Śumbha)
• शुम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• पञ्चभिः: with five (arrows)
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

• शतेन: with a hundred (arrows)
• शतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• महिषम्: Mahiṣa (the buffalo-demon)
• महिषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• क्रुद्धः: angered
• क्रुद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to Mādhava)

• विव्याध: pierced
• विव्याध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• उरसि: in the chest
• उरसि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• माधवः: Mādhava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• माधवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mādhava in a chariot-like stance (or on Garuḍa nearby), loosing rapid volleys: ten arrows at Mathana, five at Śumbha, and a hundred piercing Mahiṣa’s chest; daityas recoil amid dust and flashing weapons.

Characters & Entities

• Mādhava
• Mathana
• Śumbha
• Mahiṣa
• Mahiṣāsura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma becomes entrenched, the divine responds proportionately and decisively to protect cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named in this verse; it belongs to a martial episode rather than a pilgrimage description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.