Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53
Devanagari script
येन साध्यो भवेच्छत्रुस्तारको हि महाबलः । तदोवाच महातेजा हिमवान्स सुरान्प्रति
Transliteration
yena sādhyo bhavecchatrustārako hi mahābalaḥ | tadovāca mahātejā himavānsa surānprati
Translation
«Par quel moyen l’ennemi Tāraka, si puissant en vérité, pourra-t-il être vaincu ?» Alors Himavān, rayonnant de splendeur, s’adressa aux Deva.
Word by Word
येनby which (means)
येन:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; relative-instrumental/ablative sense here: 'by which means'
साध्यःto be subdued/achievable
साध्यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसाध्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √साध् (धातु) + यत्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण: 'to be accomplished/achievable'
भवेत्may become / would be
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√भू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
शत्रुःenemy
शत्रुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
तारकःTāraka
तारकः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतारक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
हिindeed / for
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis/causal nuance
महाबलःvery strong
महाबलः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहā + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'great-strength' = very strong
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
महातेजाःthe great-splendored one
महातेजाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहā + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; 'one of great splendor'
हिमवान्Himavān (the Himalaya)
हिमवान्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
सुरान्the gods
सुरान्:
Karman (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन
प्रतिtowards / to
प्रति:
Sampradana/Direction (Goal/सम्प्रदान-गति)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति (अव्यय)
Formउपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद; here as postposition meaning 'towards/with regard to' governing accusative
Speaker
Lomaśa (narration transitioning into Himavān’s speech)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A council of Devas stands before the radiant personified Himavān; the question of how to defeat the mighty Tāraka hangs in the air, with Himalayan peaks as a luminous backdrop.
Characters & Entities
T
TārakaH
Himavān (Himālaya)D
DevasFAQs
Great obstacles require dharmic means (upāya) guided by wisdom, not merely force.
Not explicit; the narrative is set in the Himālaya/Kedāra sacred sphere.
None.