Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

हयनागरथाश्चान्ये समारूढाः प्रहारिणः । विमानानि समारूढा बलिमुख्याः सहस्रशः

Transliteration

hayanāgarathāścānye samārūḍhāḥ prahāriṇaḥ | vimānāni samārūḍhā balimukhyāḥ sahasraśaḥ

Translation

Andere, auf Pferden, Elefanten und Streitwagen, schlugen mit wilder Kraft. Und zu Tausenden bestiegen die Anführer, von Bali angeführt, ebenfalls Vimānas.

Word by Word

• हय-नाग-रथाः: horses, elephants and chariots
• हय-नाग-रथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक) + नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः—हयाश्च नागाश्च रथाश्च

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समारूढाः: mounted
• समारूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+√रुह् (रुहँ) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle): mounted/ascended

• प्रहारिणः: attackers
• प्रहारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+√हृ (हृञ्) + णिनि (प्रहारिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—प्रहारं कुर्वन्ति (strikers/attackers)

• विमानानि: aerial chariots
• विमानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समारूढाः: mounted (upon)
• समारूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+√रुह् (रुहँ) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (पाठे 'समारूढा' इति रूपं स्यात्, अर्थतः प्रथमा-बहुवचनः)

• बलि-मुख्याः: chiefs among the mighty
• बलि-मुख्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—बलिनां मुख्याः (chiefs among the strong)

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/वितरणार्थ (adverb: by thousands)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sweeping scene: mounted fighters on horses, elephants, and chariots charging; above them, thousands of Daitya leaders led by Bali ride vimānas—gleaming aerial palaces—casting shadows over the field.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Daitya leaders (implied)
• Horses
• Elephants
• Chariots
• Vimānas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even vast armies and extraordinary conveyances cannot secure lasting triumph when the cause is opposed to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is directly named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.