Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

निश्चक्रामाथ युद्धाय बलेन चतुरंगिणा । वरं स्यंदनमारुह्य सुश्वेताश्ववहं शुभम्

Transliteration

niścakrāmātha yuddhāya balena caturaṃgiṇā | varaṃ syaṃdanamāruhya suśvetāśvavahaṃ śubham

Translation

Da zog er mit dem viergliedrigen Heer in die Schlacht und bestieg einen prächtigen Wagen, gezogen von glückverheißenden, strahlend weißen Rossen.

Word by Word

• निश्चक्राम: went forth, marched out
• निश्चक्राम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस् + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradana/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• बलेन: with an army/force
• बलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• चतुरङ्गिणा: fourfold (army: elephants, chariots, cavalry, infantry)
• चतुरङ्गिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + अङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (चत्वारि अङ्गानि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; बलेन इति विशेषण

• वरम्: excellent, splendid
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्यन्दनम् इति विशेषण

• स्यन्दनम्: chariot
• स्यन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे नपुंसकवत्), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having mounted’

• सुश्वेताश्ववहम्: drawn by very white horses
• सुश्वेताश्ववहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + श्वेत + अश्व + वह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सुश्वेताः अश्वाः वहन्ति/यस्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्यन्दनम् इति विशेषण

• शुभम्: auspicious, splendid
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्यन्दनम् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (implied continuation of narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Andhaka advances to battle with a fourfold army—elephants, chariots, cavalry, infantry—mounting a splendid chariot drawn by shining white horses; dust and banners rise as confrontation nears.

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka (context)
• Caturaṅga-bala (fourfold army)
• Syandana (chariot)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly power and military splendor are portrayed as transient instruments; without dharma, they become vehicles of pride rather than protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya narrative setting; no site-specific act is described in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.