Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

अश्रांतो यदि तार्क्ष्यासि मथनं प्रति तद्व्रज । श्रांतश्चेच्च मुहूर्तं त्वं रणादपसृतो भव

Transliteration

aśrāṃto yadi tārkṣyāsi mathanaṃ prati tadvraja | śrāṃtaścecca muhūrtaṃ tvaṃ raṇādapasṛto bhava

Translation

“If you are not weary, O Tārkṣya, then go straight toward Mathana. But if you are tired, withdraw from the battle for a moment.”

Word by Word

• अश्रान्तः: unwearied
• अश्रान्तः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + श्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (addressing Garuḍa): ‘unwearied’

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle: if)

• तार्क्ष्य: O Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• तार्क्ष्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; गरुडस्य नाम

• असि: are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘you are’

• मथनम्: Mathana
• मथनम्: Karman (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गन्तव्य-देश/व्यक्ति (towards Mathana)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Dik-karaka (Direction/दिक्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशार्थक उपपद (towards)

• तत्: there
• तत्: Karman (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘that (place/goal)’

• व्रज: go
• व्रज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘go’

• श्रान्तः: tired
• श्रान्तः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (if tired)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (if)

• च: then
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अन्वय (and/then)

• मुहूर्तम्: for a moment
• मुहूर्तम्: Karman (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालावधि (for a moment)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• रणात्: from the battle
• रणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (from battle)

• अपसृतः: withdrawn
• अपसृतः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप + सृ (धातु) → अपसृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘withdrawn’

• भव: be
• भव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘be/become’

Speaker

Hari (Viṣṇu) speaking to Garuḍa (Tārkṣya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari, seated on Garuḍa, leans forward and speaks amid the roar of battle—issuing calm, precise instructions about advancing or briefly withdrawing.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• Mathana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in righteous struggle, discernment and measured action are dharmic—strength is used wisely, and rest is not dishonor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is tactical counsel within a battle narrative.