Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

संमुखस्यापि संग्रामे युध्यमानस्य देहिनः । कदाचिच्चलते चित्तं तीक्ष्णशस्त्रहतस्य च

Transliteration

saṃmukhasyāpi saṃgrāme yudhyamānasya dehinaḥ | kadāciccalate cittaṃ tīkṣṇaśastrahatasya ca

Translation

Même pour le guerrier qui combat face à face dans la mêlée, l’esprit peut parfois chanceler—à plus forte raison chez celui que frappe une arme tranchante.

Word by Word

• संमुखस्य: of one who is facing (the enemy)/in front
• संमुखस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘देहिनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• युध्यमानस्य: of (one) fighting
• युध्यमानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘देहिनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• देहिनः: of the embodied being
• देहिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (sometimes)

• चलते: wavers/moves
• चलते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• चित्तम्: the mind
• चित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तीक्ष्ण-शस्त्र-हतस्य: of one struck/killed by a sharp weapon
• तीक्ष्ण-शस्त्र-हतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तीक्ष्णेन शस्त्रेण हतः)

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

Speaker

Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Śakra/Indra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrī Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A battlefield moment: a warrior engaged face-to-face, eyes showing sudden doubt; a sharp weapon strike lands; above, a subtle depiction of the departing jīva and ritualists preparing later śānti/śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Warrior
• Battle (saṃgrāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer valor does not guarantee inner steadiness; dharma accounts for the subtle condition of the mind at death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya section of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; it supports why special rules may apply for those slain by weapons.