Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अयुक्तमेतद्भीष्माद्यैः प्रतिज्ञातं युधिष्ठिर । ततो जये च विजये निश्चयो हि मृषैव तत्

Transliteration

ayuktametadbhīṣmādyaiḥ pratijñātaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | tato jaye ca vijaye niścayo hi mṛṣaiva tat

Translation

O Yudhiṣṭhira, dieses Gelübde, das Bhīṣma und die anderen abgelegt haben, ist unangebracht. Darum ist jede Gewissheit über Sieg oder Niederlage wahrlich trügerisch.

Word by Word

• अयुक्तम्: improper / unfitting
• अयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; युज्-धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• भीष्माद्यैः: by Bhīṣma and others
• भीष्माद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘भीष्म-आदि’ इति समासः (आदिशब्देन समाहारः)

• प्रतिज्ञातम्: promised
• प्रतिज्ञातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृत-प्रत्ययान्त (क्त), भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि-प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• ततः: thereupon / therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/क्रमबोधक (thereupon/therefrom)

• जये: in victory
• जये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

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

• विजये: in defeat / in (counter-)victory
• विजये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• निश्चयः: certainty / decision
• निश्चयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• मृषा: falsely
• मृषा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृषा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: only / indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• तत्: that (claim)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Phālguna (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arjuna addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with calm firmness, indicating that Bhīṣma’s party’s pledge is improper and that certainty of victory/defeat is unreliable.

Characters & Entities

• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

No one can guarantee outcomes; dharma emphasizes right action and surrender of results rather than arrogant certainty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral critique of rash vows about victory.