Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

किं कुर्मोऽद्य वयं सर्वे कथं जेष्याम चाद्भुतम् । एतादृशमसंख्याकमनीकं सिंहसंवृतम्

Transliteration

kiṃ kurmo'dya vayaṃ sarve kathaṃ jeṣyāma cādbhutam | etādṛśamasaṃkhyākamanīkaṃ siṃhasaṃvṛtam

Translation

«Que ferons-nous aujourd’hui, nous tous ? Comment pourrions-nous vaincre cette force prodigieuse : une armée innombrable, entourée de lions ?»

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• कुर्मः: do (shall we do)
• कुर्मः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; 1st person pronoun

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वयम्)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• जेष्याम: shall conquer
• जेष्याम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• अद्भुतम्: marvellous; astonishing
• अद्भुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied object/enemy/army)

• एतादृशम्: such; of this kind
• एतादृशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अनीकम्)

• असंख्याकम्: countless
• असंख्याकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंख्याक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अनीकम्)

• अनीकम्: army; host
• अनीकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• सिंहसंवृतम्: surrounded by lions
• सिंहसंवृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंह + संवृत (प्रातिपदिक); √वृ (धातु) + सम् उपसर्ग (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘संवृत’ = surrounded; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सिंहैः संवृतम्)

Speaker

Devas (collective lament/question within Sūta’s narration; deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of Devas on a Himalayan battlefield edge, gazing at an innumerable enemy host ringed by lion-emblems/guardians; faces show alarm and resolve; distant snow peaks and dark clouds frame the tension.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Daitya host
• Siṃha (lions)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Admitting helplessness is the doorway to surrender; dharma seeks higher aid when human effort is insufficient.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred setting frames the narration, but the verse itself is not a tīrtha-glorification passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; it is a spoken reflection that leads into prayer and remembrance.