Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

ततस्त्रिभिः शंभुभुजं द्विषष्ट्या सूतस्य शीर्षं दशक्षिश्च केतुम् । विष्णुर्विकृष्टैः श्रवणावसानं दैत्यस्य बाणैर्ज्वलनार्कवर्णैः

Transliteration

tatastribhiḥ śaṃbhubhujaṃ dviṣaṣṭyā sūtasya śīrṣaṃ daśakṣiśca ketum | viṣṇurvikṛṣṭaiḥ śravaṇāvasānaṃ daityasya bāṇairjvalanārkavarṇaiḥ

Translation

Then Viṣṇu, drawing back, struck with arrows bright as fire and the sun: with three he cut down Śaṃbhu’s arm, with sixty-two the charioteer’s head, and with ten the standard (banner).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• tribhiḥ: with three (arrows)
• tribhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; numeral used adverbially/instrumentally

• śaṃbhubhujam: Śiva’s arm
• śaṃbhubhujam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu-bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound: śaṃbhu (Śiva) + bhuja (arm)

• dviṣaṣṭyā: with sixty-two (arrows)
• dviṣaṣṭyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi-ṣaṣṭi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; numeral 'sixty-two' used as count/instrumental

• sūtasya: of the charioteer
• sūtasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• śīrṣam: head
• śīrṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīrṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• daśakṣiḥ: the ten-eyed one
• daśakṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa-akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; dvigu compound 'ten-eyed' (epithet)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle

• ketum: banner/standard
• ketum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ketu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vikṛṣṭaiḥ: drawn/shot forth
• vikṛṣṭaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; qualifying bāṇaiḥ

• śravaṇāvasānam: the end of the ear (ear-lobe/ear-tip)
• śravaṇāvasānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇa-avasāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; compound: śravaṇa (ear) + avasāna (end)

• daityasya: of the demon
• daityasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• jvalanārkavarṇaiḥ: of the color of fire and sun
• jvalanārkavarṇaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jvalana-arka-varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; qualifying bāṇaiḥ; compound: jvalana (fire) + arka (sun) + varṇa (color)

Speaker

Narrator (deduced: Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu draws back and releases sun-and-fire-bright arrows in measured counts: severing an arm, felling the charioteer’s head, and cutting down the standard—disabling the enemy’s chariot-force.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Sūta (charioteer)
• Ketu (banner/standard)
• Śaṃbhu (name/epithet in battle context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Skill yoked to righteous purpose is portrayed as a divine instrument that dismantles the supports of adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.