Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

पार्वतं मतमाश्रित्य शक्त्या शक्तिं निजघ्नतुः । एभिर्मतैर्महावीरौ चक्रतुर्युद्धमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

pārvataṃ matamāśritya śaktyā śaktiṃ nijaghnatuḥ | ebhirmatairmahāvīrau cakraturyuddhamuttamam

Translation

Gestützt auf die aus dem Berge geborene Strategie schlugen die beiden großen Helden Speer gegen Speer. So führten sie mit diesen Kampfmanövern einen vortrefflichen und mächtigen Streit.

Word by Word

• पार्वतम्: mountain-like; of the mountain (style)
• पार्वतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — विशेषणम् (of 'मतम्')

• मतम्: method, tactic
• मतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (√मन् + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'opinion/strategy'

• आश्रित्य: having adopted
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√श्रि (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — 'having resorted to'

• शक्त्या: with a spear
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शक्तिम्: spear
• शक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• निजघ्नतुः: they two struck down
• निजघ्नतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन

• एभिः: by these
• एभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — सर्वनाम

• मतैः: by tactics/methods
• मतैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• महावीरौ: the two great heroes
• महावीरौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — कर्मधारयः; कर्तृपद

• चक्रतुः: they two performed/made
• चक्रतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — विशेषणम् (of 'युद्धम्')

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution, Māheśvara-khaṇḍa style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The duel becomes ‘excellent’ through disciplined manoeuvres; spear meets spear with controlled force, framed by looming mountains suggesting the ‘parvata’ strategy.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (Skanda)
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine valor (śaurya) used for dharma: power is shown as disciplined, strategic, and directed toward protecting cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage occurs in Kedāra Khaṇḍa, aligning the narrative with Kedāranātha/Kedāra sacred geography, though this verse itself focuses on the battle episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive battlefield narration.