Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

संमुखस्यापि संग्रामे युध्यमानस्य देहिनः । कदाचिच्चलते चित्तं तीक्ष्णशस्त्रहतस्य च

Transliteration

saṃmukhasyāpi saṃgrāme yudhyamānasya dehinaḥ | kadāciccalate cittaṃ tīkṣṇaśastrahatasya ca

Translation

Selbst bei einem Kämpfer, der im Krieg von Angesicht zu Angesicht streitet, kann der Geist bisweilen schwanken—erst recht bei dem, den eine scharfe Waffe niederstreckt.

Word by Word

• संमुखस्य: of one who is facing (the enemy)/in front
• संमुखस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘देहिनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• युध्यमानस्य: of (one) fighting
• युध्यमानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘देहिनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• देहिनः: of the embodied being
• देहिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (sometimes)

• चलते: wavers/moves
• चलते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• चित्तम्: the mind
• चित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तीक्ष्ण-शस्त्र-हतस्य: of one struck/killed by a sharp weapon
• तीक्ष्ण-शस्त्र-हतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तीक्ष्णेन शस्त्रेण हतः)

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

Speaker

Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Śakra/Indra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrī Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A battlefield moment: a warrior engaged face-to-face, eyes showing sudden doubt; a sharp weapon strike lands; above, a subtle depiction of the departing jīva and ritualists preparing later śānti/śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Warrior
• Battle (saṃgrāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer valor does not guarantee inner steadiness; dharma accounts for the subtle condition of the mind at death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya section of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; it supports why special rules may apply for those slain by weapons.