Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 181

Devanagari script

ततः प्राप्य हरिः संज्ञां प्रोत्साह्य च दिशां पतीन् । बाणेन सारथेः कायाच्छिरोऽहार्षीत्सकुण्डलम्

Transliteration

tataḥ prāpya hariḥ saṃjñāṃ protsāhya ca diśāṃ patīn | bāṇena sāratheḥ kāyācchiro'hārṣītsakuṇḍalam

Translation

Alors Hari (Viṣṇu) reprit connaissance ; exhortant les gardiens des directions, il trancha d’une flèche la tête du cocher hors de son corps, encore parée de boucles d’oreilles.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (then)

• प्राप्य: having obtained/regained
• प्राप्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• संज्ञाम्: consciousness/awareness
• संज्ञाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• प्रोत्साह्य: having encouraged/roused
• प्रोत्साह्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + उत् + सह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• पतीन्: lords
• पतीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• सारथेः: of the charioteer
• सारथेः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• कायात्: from the body
• कायात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• अहार्षीत्: he carried off/took away
• अहार्षीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सकुण्डलम्: with earrings
• सकुण्डलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (शिरः); समासः—कर्मधारय ('कुण्डलयुक्तम्')

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari (Viṣṇu) regains consciousness, gestures to rally the lords of the directions; then a single arrow cleanly severs the charioteer’s head, earrings still gleaming as it falls—dramatic, decisive, and symbolic.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Dikpālas (lords of directions)
• Sārathi (charioteer)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When clarity returns, righteous leadership inspires allies and restores order amid chaos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the focus is a martial episode within the Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.