Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ताडयामास वेगेन स पपात महीतले । उत्पत्याथ यमस्तस्मान्महिषान्निपतिष्यतः

Transliteration

tāḍayāmāsa vegena sa papāta mahītale | utpatyātha yamastasmānmahiṣānnipatiṣyataḥ

Translation

Il le frappa avec force, et il tomba sur le sol. Alors Yama bondit de ce buffle qui était sur le point de s'effondrer.

Word by Word

• ताडयामास: struck, smote
• ताडयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपदम्; causative sense implied by stem tāḍaya- (णिच्)

• वेगेन: with force/speed
• वेगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपदम्

• महीतले: on the ground
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); समासः: मही + तल (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• उत्पत्य: having sprung up
• उत्पत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having leapt up’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• तस्मात्: from him/therefrom
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (singular)

• महिषात्: from the buffalo
• महिषात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (singular)

• निपतिष्यतः: of (one) who was about to fall down
• निपतिष्यतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√पत् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-शतृ (future active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A violent strike fells a buffalo to the earth; from the collapsing beast, Yama suddenly springs forth—dark, regal, and fearsome—turning the battlefield into a moment of supernatural revelation.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Mahiṣa (Yama’s mount)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The narrative underscores impermanence in embodied supports (even mounts and vehicles) and the need for vigilance—Dharma is upheld through readiness and discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named; the verse is not a sthala-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears in this verse.