Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 105
Devanagari script
वह्निः शक्तिं तदा क्षेप्तुं न शशाक तथोत्थितः । यमोऽपि दंडं खड्गं च निरृतिस्तं शिशुं प्रति
Transliteration
vahniḥ śaktiṃ tadā kṣeptuṃ na śaśāka tathotthitaḥ | yamo'pi daṃḍaṃ khaḍgaṃ ca nirṛtistaṃ śiśuṃ prati
Translation
Agni, though he rose up, could not then cast his spear (śakti). Yama too lifted his staff and sword, and Nirṛti turned her weapons toward that infant.
Word by Word
वह्निःAgni (Fire-god)
वह्निः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
शक्तिम्the spear/power-weapon
शक्तिम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)
क्षेप्तुम्to throw
क्षेप्तुम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Root√क्षिप् (धातु) → क्षेप्तुम् (तुमुन्)
Formतुमुनन्त (Infinitive)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
शशाकwas able
शशाक:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√शक् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन
तथाthus
तथा:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formरीतिवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb: ‘thus/so’)
उत्थितःhaving risen
उत्थितः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु with उद्-)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) — ‘risen, having stood up’
यमःYama
यमः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (particle: ‘also/even’)
दण्डम्staff
दण्डम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
खड्गम्sword
खड्गम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootखड्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
चand
च:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
निरृतिःNirṛti
निरृतिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनिरृति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तम्that (him)
तम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
शिशुम्child
शिशुम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
प्रतिtowards
प्रति:
Sampradana (Recipient/Direction/सम्प्रदान)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति (अव्यय)
Formउपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वसर्ग (preposition-like indeclinable: ‘towards/against’)
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Agni rises with blazing aura yet cannot throw his spear; Yama lifts staff and sword; Nirṛti turns weapons toward the infant—each halted by unseen force, faces strained between wrath and awe.
Characters & Entities
A
Agni (Vahni)Y
YamaN
NirṛtiŚ
Śiśu (divine child)FAQs
Even cosmic regulators like Agni and Yama act only within divine permission; the Absolute governs all powers.
No tīrtha reference appears in this verse.
None.