Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रमथैर्भीमविक्रांतैः क्रांतं मृत्युप्रमाथिभिः । सूदितान्पतितांश्चैव द्राविडैरिव चंदनान्

Transliteration

pramathairbhīmavikrāṃtaiḥ krāṃtaṃ mṛtyupramāthibhiḥ | sūditānpatitāṃścaiva drāviḍairiva caṃdanān

Translation

Le champ de bataille fut envahi par les Pramathas à la vaillance terrible—ceux qui écrasent même la Mort—tandis que les Daityas gisaient tués et abattus, tels des santalas coupés par les Dravidiens.

Word by Word

• प्रमथैः: by the Pramathas (attendants)
• प्रमथैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• भीम-विक्रान्तैः: by the terribly valiant (ones)
• भीम-विक्रान्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रान्त (कृदन्त; √क्रम् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; विशेषण (qualifying प्रमथैः)

• क्रान्तम्: overpowered, trodden down
• क्रान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रान्त (कृदन्त; √क्रम् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन — Accusative singular; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• मृत्यु-प्रमाथिभिः: by (those) who crush death
• मृत्यु-प्रमाथिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; विशेषण (qualifying प्रमथैः)

• सूदितान्: crushed, pounded
• सूदितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूदित (कृदन्त; √सूद् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural; विशेषण (qualifying चन्दनान्)

• पतितान्: fallen
• पतितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त; √पत् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural; विशेषण (qualifying चन्दनान्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis)

• द्राविडैः: by Dravidians (southerners)
• द्राविडैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्राविड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• चन्दनान्: sandalwood (pieces/trees)
• चन्दनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration typically Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A churned battlefield: fearsome Pramathas surge forward like a storm, while Daityas lie scattered, bodies and banners fallen like freshly cut sandalwood trunks; dust and weapon-flash fill the air.

Characters & Entities

• Pramatha
• Daitya
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected by Śiva’s forces; arrogance that opposes the divine order ends in ruin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśīkhaṇḍa context glorifies Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), though this verse itself is a battle-description without a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is primarily narrative.