Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

ततोंऽधकाश्च भोजाश्च शिनयो वृष्णयस्तदा । न्यघ्नन्नन्योन्यमाक्रन्दैर्मुशलैः कालप्रेरिताः

Transliteration

tatoṃ'dhakāśca bhojāśca śinayo vṛṣṇayastadā | nyaghnannanyonyamākrandairmuśalaiḥ kālapreritāḥ

Translation

Then the Andhakas, the Bhojas, the Śinis, and the Vṛṣṇis—driven onward by Time—began to strike one another down with club-like weapons amid cries and tumult.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (thereupon/then)

• अन्धकाः: the Andhakas
• अन्धकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• भोजाः: the Bhojas
• भोजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• शिनयः: the Śinis
• शिनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वृष्णयः: the Vṛṣṇis
• वृष्णयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय

• न्यघ्नन्: struck/killed
• न्यघ्नन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+हन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• अन्योन्यम्: one another
• अन्योन्यम्: Karma (Reciprocal object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (reciprocally)

• आक्रन्दैः: with cries/wails
• आक्रन्दैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आक्रन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; साधन/प्रकारार्थे

• मुशलैः: with clubs/pestles
• मुशलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• कालप्रेरिताः: impelled by Time (fate)
• कालप्रेरिताः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + प्रेरित (प्रातिपदिक; √प्रेर्/ईर् with प्र-; क्त)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (कालेन प्रेरिताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/ Ugraśravas), narrating

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka
• Bhoja
• Śini
• Vṛṣṇi
• Kāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma collapses, society turns against itself; Kāla uses inner discord as the instrument of downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose māhātmya preserves this event as part of its sacred-historical identity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is narrative, emphasizing Kāla’s compulsion and mutual destruction.