Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

रथमारुह्य वेगेन ययौ योद्धुमरिंदमः । संस्मृत्य मनसा देवं पिनाकिं वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

rathamāruhya vegena yayau yoddhumariṃdamaḥ | saṃsmṛtya manasā devaṃ pinākiṃ vṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

Le dompteur d’ennemis monta sur son char et s’élança pour combattre, tout en se remémorant intérieurement le Dieu qui porte le Pināka et dont l’étendard est le taureau (Śiva).

Word by Word

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund: 'having mounted')

• वेगेन: with speed/rapidly
• वेगेन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• योद्धुम्: to fight
• योद्धुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive: 'to fight')

• अरिंदमः: the subduer of enemies
• अरिंदमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि + दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अरिणां दमः)

• संस्मृत्य: having remembered
• संस्मृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्मृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund: 'having remembered')

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पिनाकिम्: the bearer of Pināka (Śiva)
• पिनाकिम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (देवम्)

• वृषभध्वजम्: whose banner bears a bull
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृषभ + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य) विशेषण (देवम्)

Speaker

Narrative voice

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (within Prabhāsa narrative ambit)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kuśa mounts a chariot at speed, weapons ready, yet his mind turns inward in devotion to Śiva—Pināka-bearing, bull-bannered.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Pinākin, Vṛṣabhadhvaja)
• chariot (ratha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amid conflict, remembrance (smaraṇa) of the deity is portrayed as the inner anchor that guides action within dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative frame remains Muktitīrtha in Dvārakā Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A mental practice: deity-remembrance (manasā saṃsmaraṇa) of Śiva.