Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

दैत्यदानवसङ्घानां संयुगेष्वपलायिता । भयं चान्यन्न विद्येत मुक्त्वा देवं गदाधरम्

Transliteration

daityadānavasaṅghānāṃ saṃyugeṣvapalāyitā | bhayaṃ cānyanna vidyeta muktvā devaṃ gadādharam

Translation

Dans les combats contre les troupes de Daitya et de Dānava, que je ne prenne jamais la fuite. Et que je ne connaisse nulle autre crainte—sinon celle du dieu qui porte la massue.

Word by Word

• दैत्यदानवसङ्घानाम्: of the hosts of Daityas and Dānavas
• दैत्यदानवसङ्घानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + दानव + सङ्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—दैत्यदानवानाम् सङ्घाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• संयुगेषु: in battles
• संयुगेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (locative plural)

• अपलायिता: not fleeing, steadfast
• अपलायिता: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपलायित (कृदन्त; अप + √लै/√ली धातु ‘to flee’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त) ‘one who has not fled’ (नञ्-भाव implied by a-)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• विद्येत: would exist/be found
• विद्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मुक्त्वा: having left/excepting
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गदाधरम्: Gadādhara (mace-bearer, Viṣṇu)
• गदाधरम्: Visheshana (Apposition/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—गदां धरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Kambu (Dānava)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaṅkara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kambu requests unwavering valor against daitya/dānava hosts and declares only one fear: the mace-bearing Vishnu.

Characters & Entities

• Daitya
• Dānava
• Gadādhara (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when empowered, cosmic order places a limit: hostility toward Hari (Viṣṇu) is not a path to lasting peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit in this verse; it continues the Revā/Narmadā narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is part of the boon specification—fearlessness and steadfastness in battle.