Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 140
Devanagari script
द्वन्द्वयुद्ध रताः सर्वे अन्योन्यबलकांक्षिणः
Transliteration
dvandvayuddha ratāḥ sarve anyonyabalakāṃkṣiṇaḥ
Translation
Tous, se complaisant dans le combat singulier, désiraient éprouver la force les uns des autres.
Word by Word
द्वन्द्वयुद्धin duel-combat
द्वन्द्वयुद्ध:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वन्द्व-युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व + युद्ध)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पाठानुसार) ‘द्वन्द्वयुद्धे’ इत्यर्थे—सप्तमी-एकवचन (अधिकरण)
रताःengaged/intent
रताः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootरत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सर्वे)
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
अन्योन्यबलकांक्षिणःdesiring each other’s strength (to test/overcome)
अन्योन्यबलकांक्षिणः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्योन्य-बल-काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक; अन्योन्य + बल + काङ्क्षिन्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/उपपदसमासः (‘अन्योन्यस्य बलं काङ्क्षन्ति’), विशेषणम् (सर्वे)
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Warriors pause between clashes, squaring off in formal duels, eyes fixed, bodies poised—each eager to measure the other’s strength; tension more than gore.
FAQs
Even amid conflict, the Purāṇic lens emphasizes disciplined valor—testing strength with resolve rather than chaos.
The broader frame is Kedāra-kṣetra in the Kedārakhaṇḍa, though this verse itself focuses on the battle mood rather than a direct tīrtha-phala.
None in this verse; it is descriptive of combat.