Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एकोऽहमेव संग्रामे सर्वे तिष्ठंतु ते रथाः । एकाह्ना क्षपये सर्वान्कौरवान्सैन्यसंयुतान्

Transliteration

eko'hameva saṃgrāme sarve tiṣṭhaṃtu te rathāḥ | ekāhnā kṣapaye sarvānkauravānsainyasaṃyutān

Translation

I alone will fight in the battle; let all your chariots stand back. In a single day I shall destroy all the Kauravas together with their armies.

Word by Word

• ekaḥ: alone, single
• ekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• saṃgrāme: in the battle
• saṃgrāme: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (ते रथाः इत्यस्य विशेषणार्थे)

• tiṣṭhantu: let (them) stand
• tiṣṭhantu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• te: those
• te: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संकेत/निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• rathāḥ: chariots
• rathāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ekāhnā: in one day
• ekāhnā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अहन्), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—एकाह्नः (एकेन अह्ना)

• kṣapaye: I will destroy/consume
• kṣapaye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣap (क्षप् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• kauravān: the Kauravas
• kauravān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• sainyasaṃyutān: accompanied by an army
• sainyasaṃyutān: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sainya + saṃyuta (प्रातिपदिक; saṃyuta = कृदन्त-विशेषण from √yuj)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—सैन्यसंयुत (सैन्येन संयुतः)

Speaker

Arjuna (Phālguna) (contextual boast/resolve)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone hero in a chariot, bow raised, declaring he will finish the enemy host in a single day; armies and standards behind him held back at his command.

Characters & Entities

• Kauravas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Taking responsibility with unwavering resolve is praised, though dharma also demands humility and alignment with divine will.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a declaration of martial intent.