Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

षष्ट्या विव्याधबाणानां कालनेमिर्जनार्दनम् । निमिः शतेन बाणानां मथनोऽशीतिभिः शरैः

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭyā vivyādhabāṇānāṃ kālanemirjanārdanam | nimiḥ śatena bāṇānāṃ mathano'śītibhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

With sixty arrows Kālanemi pierced Janārdana (Viṣṇu); Nimi struck him with a hundred arrows, and Mathana with eighty shafts.

Word by Word

• षष्ट्या: with sixty
• षष्ट्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṣṭi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; संख्या-शब्दः (instrumental of measure)

• विव्याध: pierced
• विव्याध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vyadh (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• बाणानाम्: of arrows
• बाणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; परिमाण-सम्बन्धः

• कालनेमिः: Kālanemi
• कालनेमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālanemi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• निमिः: Nimi
• निमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शतेन: with a hundred
• शतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; परिमाणार्थे

• बाणानाम्: of arrows
• बाणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• मथनः: Mathana
• मथनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mathana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अशीतिभिः: with eighty
• अशीतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśīti (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; संख्या-शब्दः

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up of Janārdana struck by volleys: Kālanemi’s sixty arrows, Nimi’s hundred, Mathana’s eighty—arrows bristling like a porcupine motif, yet the deity’s face remains serene and luminous.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Janārdana
• Kālanemi
• Nimi
• Mathana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the Supreme is depicted enduring adversity in līlā, illustrating steadfastness and the inevitability of confronting adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised in this verse; it is a martial episode within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is purely descriptive of the battle.