Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

निश्चक्रामाथ युद्धाय बलेन चतुरंगिणा । वरं स्यंदनमारुह्य सुश्वेताश्ववहं शुभम्

Transliteration

niścakrāmātha yuddhāya balena caturaṃgiṇā | varaṃ syaṃdanamāruhya suśvetāśvavahaṃ śubham

Translation

Alors il s’avança vers la bataille avec l’armée aux quatre corps, montant un char splendide, tiré par des chevaux blancs, resplendissants et de bon augure.

Word by Word

• निश्चक्राम: went forth, marched out
• निश्चक्राम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस् + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradana/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• बलेन: with an army/force
• बलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• चतुरङ्गिणा: fourfold (army: elephants, chariots, cavalry, infantry)
• चतुरङ्गिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + अङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (चत्वारि अङ्गानि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; बलेन इति विशेषण

• वरम्: excellent, splendid
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्यन्दनम् इति विशेषण

• स्यन्दनम्: chariot
• स्यन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे नपुंसकवत्), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having mounted’

• सुश्वेताश्ववहम्: drawn by very white horses
• सुश्वेताश्ववहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + श्वेत + अश्व + वह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सुश्वेताः अश्वाः वहन्ति/यस्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्यन्दनम् इति विशेषण

• शुभम्: auspicious, splendid
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्यन्दनम् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (implied continuation of narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Andhaka advances to battle with a fourfold army—elephants, chariots, cavalry, infantry—mounting a splendid chariot drawn by shining white horses; dust and banners rise as confrontation nears.

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka (context)
• Caturaṅga-bala (fourfold army)
• Syandana (chariot)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly power and military splendor are portrayed as transient instruments; without dharma, they become vehicles of pride rather than protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya narrative setting; no site-specific act is described in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.