Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

शुम्भो मेषं समारुह्याव्रजद्द्वादशयोजनम् । अपरे दानवेन्द्राश्च यत्ता नानास्त्रापाणयः

Transliteration

śumbho meṣaṃ samāruhyāvrajaddvādaśayojanam | apare dānavendrāśca yattā nānāstrāpāṇayaḥ

Translation

Śumbha mounted a ram and strode forth, spanning twelve yojanas; and the other lords of the Dānavas also came out, poised, with many kinds of weapons in their hands.

Word by Word

• शुम्भः: Śumbha
• शुम्भः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (nominative singular masculine)

• मेषम्: a ram
• मेषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine)

• समारुह्य: having mounted
• समारुह्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund); पूर्वकालः (having mounted)

• अव्रजत्: went forth
• अव्रजत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (he went forth)

• द्वादशयोजनम्: twelve yojanas (distance)
• द्वादशयोजनम्: Karma (Extent/Measure as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; परिमाणवाचक-द्विगुसमासः (accusative singular neuter: measure)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (nominative plural masculine: others)

• दानवेन्द्राः: lords of demons
• दानवेन्द्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (nominative plural masculine)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (and)

• यत्ताः: ready/intent
• यत्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-कृदन्तः (past passive participle) ‘यत्त’; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (nominative plural masculine: prepared/intent)

• नानास्त्रापाणयः: having various weapons in their hands
• नानास्त्रापाणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + अस्त्र + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (those whose hands have various weapons)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing context from 20.1)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śumbha rides a powerful ram, advancing with impossible speed; around him other Daitya-kings surge forward, each gripping different weapons—maces, spears, bows—forming a converging storm toward Hari.

Characters & Entities

• Śumbha
• Dānavendras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even coordinated might and weaponry cannot secure victory when the cause is adharma; power without righteousness is unstable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this verse is not a tīrtha-māhātmya description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.