Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

विष्णुस्तेन प्रहारेण किंचिदाघूर्णितोऽभवत् । ततः कोपविवृत्ताक्षो गदां जग्राह माधवः

Transliteration

viṣṇustena prahāreṇa kiṃcidāghūrṇito'bhavat | tataḥ kopavivṛttākṣo gadāṃ jagrāha mādhavaḥ

Translation

By that blow, Viṣṇu was shaken and momentarily reeled. Then Mādhava, his eyes widened with wrath, seized his mace.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• प्रहारेण: by the blow
• प्रहारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• किंचित्: slightly/somewhat
• किंचित्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/अनिश्चित-प्रमाण)
• Form: अव्यय (indefinite adverb: somewhat)

• आघूर्णितः: was made to reel/was whirled
• आघूर्णितः: Karta (Experiencer/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√घूर्ण् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (predicate adjective)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/thereupon)

• कोपविवृत्ताक्षः: with eyes widened in anger
• कोपविवृत्ताक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोप-विवृत्त-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; कोप + विवृत्त + अक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् माधवः

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जग्राह: took up/seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• माधवः: Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• माधवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu reels slightly from the head-blow; then his eyes blaze wide with wrath as he grips his gadā, preparing to strike.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Mādhava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine restraint has a limit: when adharma escalates, the protector of dharma rises with decisive power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of a broader Purāṇic battle narration within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it focuses on the narrative action in the battle.