Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ग्रामे ग्रामे सुसंनद्धा नवलक्षमिता रथाः । राक्षसौ द्वौ समायातौ पात्येतां विशिखैरिति

Transliteration

grāme grāme susaṃnaddhā navalakṣamitā rathāḥ | rākṣasau dvau samāyātau pātyetāṃ viśikhairiti

Translation

In village after village, well-armed chariots—countless in number—were made ready, saying, “Two rākṣasas have come; let them be felled with arrows.”

Word by Word

• ग्रामे: in a village
• ग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• ग्रामे: in each village
• ग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• सुसंनद्धाः: well-armed / well-equipped
• सुसंनद्धाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु- (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सं- + नह् (धातु) → संनद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत (past passive participle)

• नवलक्षमिताः: numbering nine lakhs (in count)
• नवलक्षमिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नव-लक्ष-परिमिताः = nine-lakh in measure)

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• राक्षसौ: two rākṣasas (demons)
• राक्षसौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• समायातौ: having arrived
• समायातौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) → आयात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• पात्येताम्: let them be felled / strike them down
• पात्येताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) caus. पातय् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; causative (णिजन्त)

• विशिखैः: with arrows
• विशिखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

Sūta (narration continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Across successive villages near the sea-fort city, chariots are harnessed and warriors string bows, preparing to shoot at two supposed rākṣasas approaching.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā region (villages)
• Rākṣasas
• Charioteers/warriors

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes organized protection of society; readiness against adharma is praised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider Dvārakā domain—villages and approaches to the city—appears as a guarded sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes martial mobilization rather than ritual observance.