Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

कृत्वा तु सुचिरं युद्धं मागधा दृढविक्रमाः । तत्सैन्यं नाशयामासुर्लेभिरे च जयश्रियम्

Transliteration

kṛtvā tu suciraṃ yuddhaṃ māgadhā dṛḍhavikramāḥ | tatsainyaṃ nāśayāmāsurlebhire ca jayaśriyam

Translation

Après avoir mené un long combat, les Magadhas—inébranlables dans leur vaillance—anéantirent l’armée de ce roi et obtinrent l’éclat de la victoire.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थ (but/indeed)

• सुचिरम्: for a long time
• सुचिरम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘yuddham’)

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मागधाः: the Magadhas
• मागधाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मागध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• दृढविक्रमाः: of firm valor
• दृढविक्रमाः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘māgadhāḥ’)

• तत्सैन्यम्: that (king’s) army
• तत्सैन्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (his/that one's army)

• नाशयामासुः: they destroyed
• नाशयामासुः: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्/नाशय् (धातु; णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; णिच् (causative) प्रयोगः

• लेभिरे: they obtained
• लेभिरे: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• जयश्रियम्: the glory/fortune of victory
• जयश्रियम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (victory’s fortune/glory)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice, traditionally Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prolonged battlefield clash: Magadha warriors in tight formation overwhelm an opposing king’s army; dust clouds, broken standards, and the moment of victory as the enemy line collapses.

Characters & Entities

• Māgadhāḥ (Magadhas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast courage and disciplined effort lead to success; valor (vikrama) is praised when directed toward decisive duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as historical-epic narration within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes the outcome of battle.