Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

विफलां तां समालोक्य यमः स्वशरसंततिम्

Transliteration

viphalāṃ tāṃ samālokya yamaḥ svaśarasaṃtatim

Translation

Voyant que sa propre volée continue de flèches était devenue vaine, Yama…

Word by Word

• विफलाम्: fruitless/ineffective
• विफलाम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (ताम्)

• ताम्: that (one)
• ताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• समालोक्य: having observed
• समालोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + लोक् (धातु) → समालोक्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund/absolutive), उपसर्ग: सम्-आ-

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• स्वशरसंततिम्: his own stream of arrows
• स्वशरसंततिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + शर + संतति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य शराणां संततिः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brief pause amid chaos: Yama’s face hardens as he realizes his arrow-volley is ineffective; the battlefield behind remains in motion, emphasizing his strategic pivot.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When force fails, the Purāṇic narrative often pivots toward a decisive dharmic resolution—implying that mere aggression cannot secure ultimate victory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this partial verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.