Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अन्योन्यसाधकौ भूत्वा महाबलपराक्रमौ । जघ्नतुः शक्तिधाराभी रणे रणविशारदौ

Transliteration

anyonyasādhakau bhūtvā mahābalaparākramau | jaghnatuḥ śaktidhārābhī raṇe raṇaviśāradau

Translation

Devenus des adversaires de taille, puissants en force et en prouesse, ces deux experts de la guerre se frappèrent mutuellement au combat avec des pluies de lances.

Word by Word

• अन्योन्यसाधकौ: mutually striving against/overcoming each other
• अन्योन्यसाधकौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — तत्पुरुषः (अन्योन्यं साधयतः/अन्योन्यस्य साधकौ); विशेषणम्

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √भू (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — 'having become'

• महाबलपराक्रमौ: of great strength and valor
• महाबलपराक्रमौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — द्वन्द्वः (महाबलौ च पराक्रमवन्तौ च); विशेषणम्

• जघ्नतुः: they two struck
• जघ्नतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन

• शक्तिधाराभिः: with streams/volleys of spears
• शक्तिधाराभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — तत्पुरुषः (शक्तीनां धाराः); करणम्

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• रणविशारदौ: skilled in warfare
• रणविशारदौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — तत्पुरुषः (रणे विशारदौ); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A storm-like shower of spears fills the battlefield as two evenly matched, war-skilled champions strike each other repeatedly, neither yielding.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (Skanda)
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when forces seem evenly matched, dharma is upheld through steadfast courage and skill dedicated to righteous purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra region is the textual setting (Kedāra Khaṇḍa), though the verse itself does not explicitly name a tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse continues the combat description.