Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

जंभं द्वादशभिस्तीक्ष्णैः सर्वांश्चैकैक शोऽष्टभिः । तस्य तल्लाघवं दृष्ट्वा दानवाः क्रोधमूर्छिताः

Transliteration

jaṃbhaṃ dvādaśabhistīkṣṇaiḥ sarvāṃścaikaika śo'ṣṭabhiḥ | tasya tallāghavaṃ dṛṣṭvā dānavāḥ krodhamūrchitāḥ

Translation

He struck Jambha with twelve sharp arrows, and each of the others with eight; seeing his swiftness and skill, the Dānavas were stunned into fury.

Word by Word

• जम्भम्: Jambha (demon Jambha)
• जम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• द्वादशभिः: with twelve (arrows)
• द्वादशभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• तीक्ष्णैः: with sharp (ones)
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to arrows implied)

• सर्वान्: all (of them)
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एकैकशः: one by one
• एकैकशः: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक + एक + शस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (distributive adverb: 'one by one')

• अष्टभिः: with eight (arrows)
• अष्टभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to lāghavam)

• लाघवम्: lightness/agility
• लाघवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having seen'

• दानवाः: the demons
• दानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• क्रोधमूर्छिताः: fainted/overcome with anger
• क्रोधमूर्छिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्छित (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (क्रोधेन मूर्छिताः), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to dānavāḥ)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mādhava’s arrows strike Jambha with twelve sharp shafts; other daityas each receive eight; the daitya ranks, witnessing his lāghava, flare with rage—faces contorted, weapons raised.

Characters & Entities

• Jambha
• Dānavas
• Hari

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mastery and steadiness in righteous action can unmask and provoke the latent rage of adharma, which ultimately leads to its downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.