Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सोऽस्त्रकर्षं प्रसह्याशु प्रविश्य गजलीलया । जघानाशु रथान्नागान्पदातीनपि भूरिशः

Transliteration

so'strakarṣaṃ prasahyāśu praviśya gajalīlayā | jaghānāśu rathānnāgānpadātīnapi bhūriśaḥ

Translation

Forçant la mêlée des armes, il s’y engouffra aussitôt avec l’allure d’un éléphant; et promptement il abattit chars, éléphants et quantité de fantassins.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nom. sg.

• अस्त्रकर्षम्: the pull/force of weapons (weapon-press)
• अस्त्रकर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अस्त्राणां कर्षः/आकर्षणम्); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Acc. sg.

• प्रसह्य: having forcibly endured/overcome
• प्रसह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र√सह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — Absolutive (having withstood/overpowered)

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — Absolutive (having entered)

• गजलीलया: with elephant-like gait
• गजलीलया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गजस्य लीला); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental sg.

• जघान: struck down/killed
• जघान: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम् — Perfect, 3rd sg.

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Acc. pl.

• नागान्: elephants
• नागान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Acc. pl.

• पदातीन्: foot-soldiers
• पदातीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Acc. pl.

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय — particle (‘also/even’)

• भूरिशः: in great numbers
• भूरिशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरिशस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb (‘in great numbers/abundantly’)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The hero surges forward through a dense barrage, moving with elephant-like majesty; chariots topple, war-elephants reel, infantry scatter; dust and broken standards fill the air; the hero’s motion is a single unstoppable arc.

Characters & Entities

• Ratha (chariots)
• Nāga (war-elephants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-driven strength is decisive and disciplined—power is shown as protection and restoration, not mere aggression.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is identified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.