Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

नानावीर्यान्महावीर्यान्नानायुधविभूषणान् । बहुलत्वान्न शक्यंते संख्यातुं ते च फाल्गुन

Transliteration

nānāvīryānmahāvīryānnānāyudhavibhūṣaṇān | bahulatvānna śakyaṃte saṃkhyātuṃ te ca phālguna

Translation

Endowed with varied powers, great valor, and adorned with diverse weapons, they were so numerous that they cannot be counted—O Phālguna.

Word by Word

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: अव्यय; विविधताबोधक (indeclinable used as prefix-like qualifier: ‘various’)

• वीर्यान्: powers, valours
• वीर्यान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• महा: great
• महा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: महा (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गवत्-पूर्वपद (indeclinable intensifier: ‘great’)

• वीर्यान्: powers, valours
• वीर्यान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: अव्यय; विविधताबोधक

• आयुध: weapons
• आयुध: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (compound member)

• विभूषणान्: weapon-ornaments, armaments
• विभूषणान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आयुध-विभूषण = ‘weapon-ornaments/armaments’)

• बहुलत्वात्: because of their multitude
• बहुलत्वात्: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुलत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative 5th); एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• शक्यन्ते: are possible (to be done)
• शक्यन्ते: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘are able/possible’)

• संख्यातुम्: to count
• संख्यातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/Infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+ख्या (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to count/enumerate’

• ते: they/those (attendants)
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• फाल्गुन: O Phālguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुन: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced); vocative 'Phālguna' retained from received verse

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sweeping panorama of Skanda’s attendants: countless warriors with varied śakti, armor, ornaments, and weapons, presented as beyond counting, addressed to Arjuna.

Characters & Entities

• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• Skanda (implied)
• Pārṣadas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine support for Dharma is immeasurable—Skanda’s protectors symbolize limitless spiritual and moral force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is a magnifying description of Skanda’s vast retinue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.