Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

पलायंते ततो देवा महिषासुरमर्द्दिताः । देवीं शरणमाजग्मुस्त्राहित्राहीतिवादिनः

Transliteration

palāyaṃte tato devā mahiṣāsuramardditāḥ | devīṃ śaraṇamājagmustrāhitrāhītivādinaḥ

Translation

Alors les devas, écrasés par Mahiṣāsura, prirent la fuite et vinrent chercher refuge auprès de la Devī, en criant : «Sauve-nous ! Sauve-nous !»

Word by Word

• पलायन्ते: flee
• पलायन्ते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पलाय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; धातुः √पलाय् ‘पलायने’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (Temporal/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘then/from there’

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• महिषासुरमर्द्दिताः: crushed/tormented by Mahiṣāsura
• महिषासुरमर्द्दिताः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिषासुर-मर्दित (प्रातिपदिक; महिषासुर + मर्दित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) ‘मर्दित’ from √मृद्/मर्द् ‘to crush’; तत्पुरुषः ‘महिषासुरेण मर्दिताः’ (instrumental sense)

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object—goal of going)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (Goal/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायां द्वितीया ‘शरणं गच्छति’

• आजग्मुः: went/approached
• आजग्मुः: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; धातुः √गम् उपसर्गः आ

• त्राहि: protect (me/us)!
• त्राहि: Direct speech (Address/सम्बोधन-प्रयुक्त क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; धातुः √त्रा ‘रक्षणे’

• त्राहि: protect!
• त्राहि: Direct speech (Address)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• वादिनः: saying/uttering
• वादिनः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘वदन्तः’

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas, wounded and disordered, abandon the battlefield and gather before the Devī, hands folded, faces strained; the words ‘trāhi trāhi’ implied in their posture; Devī’s presence radiates calm power.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Mahiṣāsura
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in the Devī is portrayed as the decisive turn from fear to protection and restoration of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicitly named in this verse; the broader Setu-khaṇḍa context connects to the Setu/Rāmeśvaram sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the act emphasized is devotional surrender and prayer for protection.