Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

तैर्जितं योगिनीचक्रं भैरवं व्याकुलीकृतम् । तीक्ष्णाग्रैः पातयामासुः शरैर्भूतगणानपि

Transliteration

tairjitaṃ yoginīcakraṃ bhairavaṃ vyākulīkṛtam | tīkṣṇāgraiḥ pātayāmāsuḥ śarairbhūtagaṇānapi

Translation

Vaincu par eux, le cercle des Yoginīs fut mis en désarroi, et même Bhairava en fut ébranlé. De flèches aux pointes acérées, ils abattirent aussi les cohortes de bhūtas.

Word by Word

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Pronoun, Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• जितम्: conquered
• जितम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; √जि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त

• योगिनीचक्रम्: the circle of yoginīs
• योगिनीचक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: योगिनीनां चक्रम् ‘circle of yoginīs’

• भैरवम्: Bhairava
• भैरवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्याकुलीकृतम्: made distressed/agitated
• व्याकुलीकृतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याकुली + कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + क्त; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: व्याकुली कृतम् ‘made agitated’

• तीक्ष्णाग्रैः: with sharp-pointed (ones)
• तीक्ष्णाग्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; कर्मधारय: तीक्ष्णम् अग्रं येषां ते ‘sharp-pointed’

• पातयामासुः: made (them) fall
• पातयामासुः: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु) caus. पातय्
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) — Perfect, 3rd person, Plural, Active: 'caused to fall'

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• भूतगणान्: hosts of spirits
• भूतगणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + गण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भूतानां गणाः ‘hosts of spirits’

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

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce battlefield tableau: a whirling Yoginī-cakra (a ring of terrifying female powers) thrown into confusion; Bhairava appears shaken; spirit-hosts (bhūta-gaṇas) fall under a rain of sharp arrows.

Characters & Entities

• Yoginīs
• Bhairava
• Bhūtagaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even formidable divine retinues can be shaken in cosmic conflict, underscoring that power is subordinate to dharma and the higher will governing sacred spaces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa, associated with Kedāra/Kedarnath and the surrounding sacred Himalayan geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a narrative description of battle rather than a vrata or tirtha-ritual instruction.