Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

तं जघ्नुर्विविधैः शस्त्रैः परिवार्य समंततः । कालनेमिप्रभृतयो दश दैत्यमहारथाः

Transliteration

taṃ jaghnurvividhaiḥ śastraiḥ parivārya samaṃtataḥ | kālanemiprabhṛtayo daśa daityamahārathāḥ

Translation

Surrounding him on every side, ten great Daitya chariot-warriors—beginning with Kālanemi—struck at him with various weapons.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जघ्नुः: they struck/killed
• जघ्नुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; शस्त्रैः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons
• शस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• परिवार्य: having surrounded
• परिवार्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pari-vṛ (धातु) + ल्यप् → parivārya (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यपन्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive): ‘having surrounded’

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantatas (अव्यय)
• Form: परितः/सर्वतः-अर्थे देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• कालनेमि-प्रभृतयः: beginning with Kālanemi
• कालनेमि-प्रभृतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālanemi + prabhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कालनेमिः प्रभृतिः येषाम्)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; विशेषणम् (numeral)

• दैत्य-महारथाः: demon great-warriors
• दैत्य-महारथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya + mahā-ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (दैत्याः एव महारथाः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced; narration resumes)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ten daitya mahārathas, led by Kālanemi, surround Viṣṇu from all sides, raining diverse weapons; chariots, banners, dust, and the central calm of the deity amid chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Kālanemi
• Daityas (ten mahārathas)
• Hari/Keśava (implied target)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma often advances through collective force, yet dharma’s protector remains unmoved by mere numbers and weaponry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.