Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

तद्दृष्ट्वा दुकरं कर्म सोऽश्विभ्यां भीमविक्रमः । नारायणास्त्रं बलवान्मुमोच रणमूर्धनि

Transliteration

taddṛṣṭvā dukaraṃ karma so'śvibhyāṃ bhīmavikramaḥ | nārāyaṇāstraṃ balavānmumoca raṇamūrdhani

Translation

Al ver aquella hazaña difícil de realizar por los Aśvines, él, de terrible valor, lanzó el poderoso arma de Nārāyaṇa en la cumbre misma de la batalla.

Word by Word

• tat: that (thing/event)
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya (Non-finite/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्यय-भाव/gerund), ‘having seen’

• dukaram: difficult to do
• dukaram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: du-kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दुष्कर = ‘कष्टेन करणीय’)

• karma: deed/act
• karma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• aśvibhyām: by/with the Aśvins
• aśvibhyām: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• bhīmavikramaḥ: of terrible prowess
• bhīmavikramaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (‘भीमः विक्रमः यस्य’)

• nārāyaṇāstram: the Nārāyaṇa weapon
• nārāyaṇāstram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘नारायणस्य अस्त्रम्’)

• balavān: mighty
• balavān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mumoca: released/let loose
• mumoca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• raṇamūrdhani: in the thick/head of battle
• raṇamūrdhani: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘रणस्य मूर्धनि’ = ‘at the head of battle’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the peak of battle, a fearsome warrior releases the Nārāyaṇa-weapon—radiant, many-rayed, filling the sky—while the Aśvins stand poised, and armies recoil in dread.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvins
• Nārāyaṇāstra
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When pride escalates conflict, even sacred powers are misused; dharma measures not only strength but intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the release of the Nārāyaṇāstra.