Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 142

Devanagari script

अदृश्यः समरे जंभो देवाञ्ठस्त्रैरचूर्णयत् । ततः शक्रोधनेशश्च वरुणः पवनोऽनलः

Transliteration

adṛśyaḥ samare jaṃbho devāñṭhastrairacūrṇayat | tataḥ śakrodhaneśaśca varuṇaḥ pavano'nalaḥ

Translation

Invisible dans la bataille, Jambha réduisit les dieux en poussière par ses armes. Alors se levèrent pour riposter Śakra (Indra), Dhan-eśa (Kubera), Varuṇa, Pavana (Vāyu) et Anala (Agni).

Word by Word

• अदृश्यः: invisible
• अदृश्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृश्य (प्रातिपदिक; √दृश् (धातु) + अ- उपसर्ग, क्त-प्रत्ययार्थे विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative singular; adjective)

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (Masculine, Locative singular)

• जंभः: Jambha (a demon)
• जंभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम (Masculine, Nominative singular; proper name)

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative plural)

• अस्त्रैः: with weapons
• अस्त्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental plural)

• अचूर्णयत्: pulverized
• अचूर्णयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चूर्णय्/चूर्ण (धातु; नामधातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular); causative/denominative sense ‘to pulverize’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• शक्र-उधन-ईशः: Śakrodhaneśa (a lord/epithet)
• शक्र-उधन-ईशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उधन (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative singular; genitive tatpuruṣa: ‘lord of Śakra’s udhana/army-store’—epithet)

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

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम (Masculine, Nominative singular; proper name)

• पवनः: Vāyu (wind-god)
• पवनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• अनलः: Agni (fire)
• अनलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (contextual attribution for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An invisible dānava Jambha ravages the battlefield; shattered chariots and scattered divine standards. The lokapālas—Indra, Kubera, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Agni—rise together, weapons lifted, scanning the sky for the unseen foe.

Characters & Entities

• Jambha
• Indra (Śakra)
• Kubera (Dhan-eśa)
• Varuṇa
• Vāyu (Pavana)
• Agni (Anala)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power without righteousness can overwhelm even the mighty; divine order is restored when gods act with proper counsel and higher refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is praised; this is a war-episode within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on the unfolding conflict.