Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53
Devanagari script
येन साध्यो भवेच्छत्रुस्तारको हि महाबलः । तदोवाच महातेजा हिमवान्स सुरान्प्रति
Transliteration
yena sādhyo bhavecchatrustārako hi mahābalaḥ | tadovāca mahātejā himavānsa surānprati
Translation
„Durch welches Mittel kann der Feind Tāraka, wahrlich von großer Kraft, bezwungen werden?“ Da sprach der strahlende Himavān zu den Devas.
Word by Word
येनby which (means)
येन:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; relative-instrumental/ablative sense here: 'by which means'
साध्यःto be subdued/achievable
साध्यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसाध्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √साध् (धातु) + यत्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण: 'to be accomplished/achievable'
भवेत्may become / would be
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√भू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
शत्रुःenemy
शत्रुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
तारकःTāraka
तारकः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतारक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
हिindeed / for
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis/causal nuance
महाबलःvery strong
महाबलः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहā + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'great-strength' = very strong
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
महातेजाःthe great-splendored one
महातेजाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहā + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; 'one of great splendor'
हिमवान्Himavān (the Himalaya)
हिमवान्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
सुरान्the gods
सुरान्:
Karman (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन
प्रतिtowards / to
प्रति:
Sampradana/Direction (Goal/सम्प्रदान-गति)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति (अव्यय)
Formउपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद; here as postposition meaning 'towards/with regard to' governing accusative
Speaker
Lomaśa (narration transitioning into Himavān’s speech)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A council of Devas stands before the radiant personified Himavān; the question of how to defeat the mighty Tāraka hangs in the air, with Himalayan peaks as a luminous backdrop.
Characters & Entities
T
TārakaH
Himavān (Himālaya)D
DevasFAQs
Great obstacles require dharmic means (upāya) guided by wisdom, not merely force.
Not explicit; the narrative is set in the Himālaya/Kedāra sacred sphere.
None.