Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

रथेन त्वरितोऽगच्छदाससादांतकं रणे । समासाद्य यमं युद्धे ग्रसनो भ्राम्य मुद्गरम्

Transliteration

rathena tvarito'gacchadāsasādāṃtakaṃ raṇe | samāsādya yamaṃ yuddhe grasano bhrāmya mudgaram

Translation

Swiftly mounting his chariot, he advanced and confronted Antaka in battle. Closing in upon Yama in the fight, Grasana whirled his mace.

Word by Word

• रथेन: by chariot
• रथेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• त्वरितः: hastened
• त्वरितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (त्वर् धातु-क्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अगच्छत्: went
• अगच्छत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आससाद: reached/attacked
• आससाद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+सद् (धातु) (आङ्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्तकम्: Antaka (Death)
• अन्तकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• समासाद्य: having approached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-सद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युद्धे: in combat
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ग्रसनः: Grasana
• ग्रसनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• भ्राम्य: having whirled/whirling
• भ्राम्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); here in sense 'whirling'

• मुद्गरम्: the mace
• मुद्गरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A chariot surges forward; Grasana closes on Antaka/Yama, whirling the mace in a lethal arc—dust plumes, banners snapping, the enemy figure dark and formidable.

Characters & Entities

• Grasana
• Antaka
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is portrayed as confronting even ‘Death’—a reminder that righteousness demands courage beyond ordinary fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it is part of a heroic narrative within the Māheśvara tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes battlefield action.