Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 138

Devanagari script

चतुर्भिश्चतुरो वाहाननयद्यमसादनम् । सारथेश्च शिरः कायाच्छरेणैकेन चाक्षिपत्

Transliteration

caturbhiścaturo vāhānanayadyamasādanam | sāratheśca śiraḥ kāyācchareṇaikena cākṣipat

Translation

Mit vier Pfeilen sandte sie die vier Rösser in Yamas Reich; und mit einem einzigen Pfeil trennte sie den Kopf des Wagenlenkers vom Rumpf und warf ihn herab.

Word by Word

• चतुर्भिः: with four (arrows)
• चतुर्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (संख्यावाचक) करणत्वे

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; वाहान् इति विशेषणम्

• वाहान्: mounts/steeds
• वाहान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अनयत्: led/took
• अनयत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यमसादनम्: to Yama's abode
• यमसादनम्: Gati/Karma (Destination as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + सादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• सारथेः: of the charioteer
• सारथेः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

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

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कायात्: from the body
• कायात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• शरेण: with an arrow
• शरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकेन: with one
• एकेन: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शरेण इति विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अक्षिपत्: threw/cast (off)
• अक्षिपत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (continuing the battle account in Arbuda-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (rājan) / assembly of sages (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A goddess-archer releases four arrows that fell the four steeds; a fifth single shaft flashes to sever the charioteer’s head, which arcs downward as the chariot lurches.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Yama
• Charioteer
• Steeds

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When divine justice moves, it removes the supports of adharma swiftly and completely.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this specific verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.