Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ततोऽन्धको मृधे क्रुद्धो बाणमार्गेण निर्गतः । स दृष्ट्वा बाणमार्गेण चापहस्तं जनार्दनम्

Transliteration

tato'ndhako mṛdhe kruddho bāṇamārgeṇa nirgataḥ | sa dṛṣṭvā bāṇamārgeṇa cāpahastaṃ janārdanam

Translation

Then Andhaka, enraged in battle, advanced along the path of the arrows; following that arrow-track, he beheld Janārdana holding the bow.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala (Temporal/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर्ये अव्यय (then)

• अन्धकः: Andhaka
• अन्धकः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मृधे: in battle
• मृधे: Adhikarana (Location: in battle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृध्/मृध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) → क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अन्धकः)

• बाणमार्गेण: by the path/track of the arrow
• बाणमार्गेण: Karana (Means/route)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणमार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) = बाण + मार्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• निर्गतः: came out / emerged
• निर्गतः: Kriya (Result state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + गम् (धातु) → निर्गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय/विशेषणम् (of अन्धकः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (कृदन्त, क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• बाणमार्गेण: by the arrow-track
• बाणमार्गेण: Karana (Means/route)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणमार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चापहस्तम्: the bow-in-hand (one holding a bow)
• चापहस्तम्: Karma (Object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चापहस्त (प्रातिपदिक) = चाप + हस्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—चापः हस्ते यस्य सः (one who has a bow in hand)

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (Object; apposition to चापहस्तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; continuation of Maheśa’s account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) region (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Andhaka charges along the luminous arrow-trail through cavernous Pātāla and suddenly sees Janārdana—bow in hand, poised, radiant amid darkness.

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma inevitably meets its counterforce; the aggressor is drawn toward the very source of righteous restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None explicitly; it narrates a confrontation rather than praising a pilgrimage place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative movement within the battle.