Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

गजाश्वरथपादातैरसंख्येयैर्महावलः । महिषो युयुधे तत्र देव्या साकमरिंदमः

Transliteration

gajāśvarathapādātairasaṃkhyeyairmahāvalaḥ | mahiṣo yuyudhe tatra devyā sākamariṃdamaḥ

Translation

Là, Mahiṣa, le grand et redoutable, combattit face à la Déesse, au milieu d’innombrables troupes d’éléphants, de chevaux, de chars et de fantassins—briseur d’ennemis au combat.

Word by Word

• गज-अश्व-रथ-पादातैः: with elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers
• गज-अश्व-रथ-पादातैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + पादात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमासः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr.), बहुवचन; 'by/with elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry'

• असंख्येयैः: countless
• असंख्येयैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंख्येय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr.), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) गजाश्वरथपादातैः-शब्दस्य

• महावलः: of great strength
• महावलः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) महिषः-शब्दस्य

• महिषः: Mahiṣa (the buffalo-demon)
• महिषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन

• युयुधे: fought
• युयुधे: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• देव्याः: of the goddess
• देव्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Gen.), एकवचन

• साकम्: together with
• साकम्: Saha (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साकम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together)

• अरिंदमः: subduer of enemies
• अरिंदमः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमासः (अरिन् 'enemy' + दम 'subduer'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; विशेषणम् महिषः-शब्दस्य

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Setukhaṇḍa; traditionally Sūta-like narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahiṣa, massive and terrifying amid fourfold armies, charges; Devī confronts him unwavering, weapons poised, battlefield crowded with elephants and chariots.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Mahiṣa (Mahiṣāsura)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even immense worldly power and armies cannot prevail over divine Śakti when dharma must be restored.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Setubandha is the larger pilgrimage canvas; this verse narrates the conflict occurring in that setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.