Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 196

Devanagari script

तस्मिञ्जयाशा शक्रस्य दानवेन्द्राय संयुगे । तारकस्य च संप्राप्य शरीरं शौर्यशालिनः

Transliteration

tasmiñjayāśā śakrasya dānavendrāya saṃyuge | tārakasya ca saṃprāpya śarīraṃ śauryaśālinaḥ

Translation

In that battle with the lord of the Dānavas, victory seemed within Śakra’s grasp; and the valiant Tāraka’s body was struck amid the fray.

Word by Word

• tasmin: in that (situation)
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक; सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in that (battle/time)’

• jaya-āśā: hope of victory
• jaya-āśā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जयस्य आशा’ (hope of victory)

• śakrasya: of Shakra (Indra)
• śakrasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• dānava-indrāya: for the demon-king
• dānava-indrāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; ‘to/for the demon-king’

• saṃyuge: in battle
• saṃyuge: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• tārakasya: of Tāraka
• tārakasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction ‘and’)

• saṃprāpya: having reached, having obtained
• saṃprāpya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; ‘having reached/obtained’

• śarīram: body
• śarīram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śaurya-śālinaḥ: of the valorous one
• śaurya-śālinaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaurya (प्रातिपदिक) + śālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘शौर्यं यस्य अस्ति’ इत्यर्थे (possessing valor); षष्ठी-सम्बन्धेन तārakasya विशेषणम्

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra senses victory approaching; in the mêlée, the valiant Tāraka is struck—an instant where the tide seems to turn, yet the outcome remains uncertain.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Tāraka
• Dānava leader

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic warfare often turns on a moment of ‘hope of victory’—teaching perseverance in dharma even when outcomes are uncertain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is described in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.