Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

केचिद्द्विधाकृताः खङ्गैर्मुद्गरैश्चापि पोथिताः । परश्वधैः खंडशश्च कृताः केचिद्रणाजिरे

Transliteration

keciddvidhākṛtāḥ khaṅgairmudgaraiścāpi pothitāḥ | paraśvadhaiḥ khaṃḍaśaśca kṛtāḥ kecidraṇājire

Translation

Les uns furent fendus en deux par les épées; d’autres furent broyés par les massues. D’autres encore furent taillés en morceaux par les haches sur le champ de bataille.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क-चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• द्विधा: into two
• द्विधा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: 'in two ways/into two')

• कृताः: were made/cut
• कृताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषणवत्

• खङ्गैः: with swords
• खङ्गैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचनम्; करण (instrumental)

• मुद्गरैः: with maces
• मुद्गरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचनम्; करण (instrumental)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भावबोधक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• पोथिताः: were struck/crushed
• पोथिताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुथ्/पुथ्- (धातु: पोथयति) + पोथित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; अर्थः—‘प्रहृताः/मर्दिताः’

• परश्वधैः: with axes
• परश्वधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परश्वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचनम्; करण (instrumental)

• खण्डशः: into pieces
• खण्डशः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खण्डशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in pieces)

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

• कृताः: were made
• कृताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क-चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम

• रणाजिरे: in the battlefield
• रणाजिरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण + अजिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्; रणस्य अजिरम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; अधिकरण (locative)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A chaotic battlefield: warriors struck by swords, maces, and axes; bodies falling, dust and weapon-flash filling the air; the scene is descriptive rather than heroic triumph.

Characters & Entities

• Combatants (unspecified)
• Weapons (khaṅga, mudgara, paraśvadha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse underscores the terrifying cost of conflict, urging reverence for dharma that prevents chaos from overtaking the worlds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is part of the Kedārakhaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.