Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

शिबिकाश्च विचित्रा वै रथाश्चैव सहस्रशः । सर्वत्र दह्यमानं च दृष्ट्वा राजापि विव्यथे

Transliteration

śibikāśca vicitrā vai rathāścaiva sahasraśaḥ | sarvatra dahyamānaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā rājāpi vivyathe

Translation

Ornate palanquins and thousands of chariots too were burning. Seeing flames everywhere, even the king was struck with anguish and fear.

Word by Word

• śibikāḥ: palanquins
• śibikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śibikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• vicitrāḥ: variegated, wonderful
• vicitrāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom./1st), Bahuvacana (Pl.); viśeṣaṇa of śibikāḥ/rathāḥ

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle/निपात), emphasis/assurance

• rathāḥ: chariots
• rathāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom./1st), Bahuvacana (Pl.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• eva: just, indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (restrictive particle/अवधारण)

• sahasraśaḥ: by the thousand(s)
• sahasraśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasraśas (अव्यय; from sahasra)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial distributive/प्रकारवाचक), meaning 'by thousands'

• sarvatra: everywhere
• sarvatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (locative adverb/देशवाचक)

• dahyamānam: being burnt
• dahyamānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dah (धातु) + śyānac/śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present passive participle/कर्मणि वर्तमान कृदन्त), Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Prathamā/ Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana (Sg.); agrees with implied 'sarvam' (all)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Gerundial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ktvānta/क्त्वान्त अव्यय), pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom./1st), Ekavacana (Sg.)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), concessive/additive

• vivyathe: was distressed, trembled
• vivyathe: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vyath (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/Past/लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Sg.), Parasmaipada; intensive/reduplication vi- + vyath

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; specific speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal camp or city street filled with ornate palanquins and countless chariots engulfed in flames; the king stands stunned, face strained with fear, surrounded by smoke and sparks.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (King)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority cannot shield one from the moral order; when dharma is violated, even kings experience helplessness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the overarching sacred setting; the verse itself highlights the dramatic event.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.