Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 125

Devanagari script

अपश्यंस्तारको विष्णुं पुनर्वृषभवा हनम् । आधावत्कुपितो दैत्यो मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगतः

Transliteration

apaśyaṃstārako viṣṇuṃ punarvṛṣabhavā hanam | ādhāvatkupito daityo muṣṭimudyamya vegataḥ

Translation

Ne voyant plus Viṣṇu, Tāraka se rua de nouveau sur Celui dont l’étendard porte le Taureau (Śiva) ; le démon, furieux, fondit à toute vitesse, le poing levé.

Word by Word

• apaśyan: seeing / while seeing
• apaśyan: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले (Present), परस्मैपदी; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'तारकः' इति कर्तरि विशेषणरूपेण

• tārakaḥ: Tāraka (the demon)
• tārakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• punar: again
• punar: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• vṛṣabhavāhanam: the one whose vehicle is a bull
• vṛṣabhavāhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वृषभस्य वाहनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'विष्णुम्' इत्यस्य विशेषण/उपाधिरूपेण

• ādhāvat: ran towards / charged
• ādhāvat: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• kupitaḥ: angered
• kupitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kup (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'दैत्यः' इति विशेषणम्

• daityaḥ: the demon
• daityaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• muṣṭim: fist
• muṣṭim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• udyamya: having raised
• udyamya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√yam (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive); 'उद्यम्य' = 'उद्यम्य' (having raised)

• vegataḥ: swiftly / with speed
• vegataḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tāraka, failing to spot Viṣṇu, pivots in fury and rushes straight at Śiva (bull-bannered), fist lifted, speed emphasized; gods and hosts recoil as the charge begins.

Characters & Entities

• Tāraka
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva (Vṛṣabhavāhana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When delusion blinds discernment, anger turns one toward greater ruin; dharma urges self-control even amid conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is martial narration.