Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

ततः स्कन्दोऽपि संगृह्य चापं तं प्रति सायकान् । मुमोचाशीविषाकाराल्लंघ्वस्त्रं तस्य दर्शयन्

Transliteration

tataḥ skando'pi saṃgṛhya cāpaṃ taṃ prati sāyakān | mumocāśīviṣākārāllaṃghvastraṃ tasya darśayan

Translation

Then Skanda too, taking up his bow, loosed arrows against him—like dreadful serpents—displaying to him the swift mastery of his weapons.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम-वाचक

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• संगृह्य: having taken/held
• संगृह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive)

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: that (him)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Sampradana/Direction (सम्प्रदान/दिशा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; दिशार्थे (towards)

• सायकान्: arrows
• सायकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मुमोच: released/shot
• मुमोच: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्सभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• आशीविषाकारात्: from a serpent-like form/shape
• आशीविषाकारात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविष + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘आशीविषस्य आकारः’ (snake-like form) इति; अपादानार्थे

• लङ्घु: swift/light
• लङ्घु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लङ्घु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अस्त्रम्’ इति विशेषण

• अस्त्रम्: weapon (missile)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धे

• दर्शयन्: showing
• दर्शयन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि; मुख्यक्रियायाः सहकालिकः

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda, youthful and radiant, lifts a bow and releases a volley of arrows that resemble venomous serpents—coiling, hissing, and streaking toward the Dānava—demonstrating swift astric mastery.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Cāpa (bow)
• Sāyaka (arrows)
• Āśīviṣa (venomous serpent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma’s guardians respond with skill and swiftness; righteous strength is portrayed as disciplined, purposeful, and protective.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is mentioned in this line; it supports the chapter’s Māhātmya by narrating divine protection around the sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.