Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

संधाय मुमुचे बाणान्देव सैन्येषु भूसुराः । इंद्रे तु दशसाहस्रं यमे पंचसहस्रकम्

Transliteration

saṃdhāya mumuce bāṇāndeva sainyeṣu bhūsurāḥ | iṃdre tu daśasāhasraṃ yame paṃcasahasrakam

Translation

Ayant ajusté leur visée, les guerriers nés des brāhmanes décochèrent des volées de flèches sur l’armée des devas : dix mille contre Indra, et cinq mille contre Yama.

Word by Word

• संधाय: having fixed/aimed (having set)
• संधाय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी-प्रयोगः; धातुः √धा (3P) उपसर्गः सम्; अर्थः ‘संयोज्य/सन्निधाय’

• मुमुचे: released/let loose
• मुमुचे: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; धातुः √मुच् ‘मोचने/विसर्जने’

• बाणान्: arrows
• बाणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• देव: of the gods
• देव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘देवानाम्’ (sandhi-lopa in text)

• सैन्येषु: in the armies
• सैन्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भूसुराः: the Bhūsuras (Brahmins)
• भूसुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूसुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• इंद्रे: upon/at Indra
• इंद्रे: Adhikarana (Target/location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• दशसाहस्रम्: ten thousand
• दशसाहस्रम्: Karma (Object—number of arrows/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश-साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; दश + साहस्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक-द्विगु-समासः

• यमे: upon/at Yama
• यमे: Adhikarana (Target/location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पंचसहस्रकम्: five thousand
• पंचसहस्रकम्: Karma (Object—number of arrows/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-सहस्रक (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + सहस्रक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक-द्विगु-समासः

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in third-person narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dense rain of arrows released with measured aim toward Indra and Yama; devas’ standards and chariots shaken; the asura-side archers shown as brahmin-born warriors with austere marks, emphasizing paradox and dread.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Yama
• Devas
• Bhūsūraḥ (brahmins)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the devas can be overwhelmed by adharma’s force, preparing the narrative for refuge in the supreme Devī as protector.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is within Setu-khaṇḍa (linked with Setubandha/Rāmeśvaram region), but this specific line focuses on the battle episode rather than direct tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive of the battle.