Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

विजयेन धनुर्लब्धं जरासन्धो मया हतः । प्रत्याहर्तुं तथेच्छामः कौरवेभ्यः स्वकां श्रियम्

Transliteration

vijayena dhanurlabdhaṃ jarāsandho mayā hataḥ | pratyāhartuṃ tathecchāmaḥ kauravebhyaḥ svakāṃ śriyam

Translation

Through victory the bow was obtained; Jarāsandha was slain by me. Therefore we now wish to reclaim from the Kauravas our own rightful prosperity and splendor.

Word by Word

• विजयेन: by victory / through conquest
• विजयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• लब्धम्: was obtained
• लब्धम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• जरासन्धः: Jarāsandha
• जरासन्धः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरासन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• हतः: was slain
• हतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रत्याहर्तुम्: to take back/recover
• प्रत्याहर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आ-हृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक-अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (verbal noun used as infinitive)

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), प्रकारार्थे (adverb: 'thus/also')

• इच्छामः: we desire
• इच्छामः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• कौरवेभ्यः: from the Kauravas
• कौरवेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Abl./Dat. 5th/4th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्वकाम्: one’s own
• स्वकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रियम्: prosperity/fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A martial recollection: the fall of Jarāsandha and the resolve to reclaim prosperity from the Kauravas; weapons, banners, and a strategic council atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Jarāsandha
• Kaurava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames righteous recovery of one’s due (svadharma) after victory as a dharma-aligned aim, especially in a royal (kṣatriya) context.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is historical-ethical rather than tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.