Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

एवं प्रतिभये भीमे तदामर महाक्षये । संक्रुद्धावश्विनौ वीरौ चित्रास्त्रकवचोज्जवलौ

Transliteration

evaṃ pratibhaye bhīme tadāmara mahākṣaye | saṃkruddhāvaśvinau vīrau citrāstrakavacojjavalau

Translation

When such dreadful terror arose, amid that great destruction of the immortals, the two heroic Aśvins grew wrathful—resplendent in wondrous weapons and shining armor.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• प्रतिभये: in terror
• प्रतिभये: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• भीमे: terrible
• भीमे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying प्रतिभये)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• अमर: O immortal (sage)
• अमर: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा एकवचन (vocative/nominative form); संबोधन (address)

• महाक्षये: in the great destruction
• महाक्षये: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; समासः—महान्+क्षयः (great destruction)

• संक्रुद्धौ: enraged
• संक्रुद्धौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं+क्रुध् (धातु) → संक्रुद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/क्तवत्-प्रायः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अश्विनौ)

• अश्विनौ: the two Aśvins
• अश्विनौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; द्विवचन

• वीरौ: two heroes
• वीरौ: Karta (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; द्विवचन; अप्पोजिशन (in apposition to अश्विनौ)

• चित्रास्त्रकवचोज्जवलौ: shining with wondrous weapons and armor
• चित्रास्त्रकवचोज्जवलौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र+अस्त्र+कवच+उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा द्विवचन; समासः—चित्राणि अस्त्राणि यस्य/ययोः, कवचेन उज्ज्वलः (having splendid armor and wondrous weapons); विशेषण (qualifying अश्विनौ/वीरौ)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A battlefield of devas and asuras in ruin; the twin Aśvins, radiant in citrāstra (wondrous weapons) and gleaming kavaca, flare with wrath amid smoke, shattered standards, and fleeing hosts.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvinau (the Aśvins)
• amarāḥ (immortals/devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is threatened, divine powers arise to counterbalance chaos—symbolizing protection, healing, and restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this verse; it is a turning point in the battle narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.