Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

तां ततोऽहं महायुद्धे खड्गखेटकधारिणीम् । अयोधयं महाबाणैः सुशार्ङ्गधनुषश्च्युतैः

Transliteration

tāṃ tato'haṃ mahāyuddhe khaḍgakheṭakadhāriṇīm | ayodhayaṃ mahābāṇaiḥ suśārṅgadhanuṣaścyutaiḥ

Translation

Darauf kämpfte ich in jener großen Schlacht gegen sie—die Schwert und Schild trug—mit mächtigen Pfeilen, abgeschossen von meinem vortrefflichen Bogen Śārṅga.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल-वाचक (adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महायुद्धे: in the great battle
• महायुद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महद् युद्धम्)

• खड्गखेटकधारिणीम्: bearing sword and shield
• खड्गखेटकधारिणीम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्ग + खेटक + धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (खड्गं खेटकं च धारयति इति)

• अयोधयम्: I fought (with)
• अयोधयम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage ‘made fight/ fought’

• महाबाणैः: with great arrows
• महाबाणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान्तः बाणाः)

• सुशार्ङ्गधनुषः: of the excellent Śārṅga bow
• सुशार्ङ्गधनुषः: Shashthi-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + शार्ङ्ग + धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सु-शार्ङ्गं धनुः)

• च्युतैः: shot/released
• च्युतैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्यु (धातु) → च्युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘(बाणैः) च्युतैः’ = धनुषः निर्गतैः

Speaker

Janārdana

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand duel: the divine archer draws the Śārṅga and releases a storm of powerful arrows at the sword-and-shield-bearing warrior woman amid a vast battlefield.

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana
• Śārṅga (bow)
• Kāmakaṭaṅkaṭā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power is portrayed as disciplined and purposeful—strength used in service of cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the focus is on the combat episode and divine iconography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.