Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

ततः प्रवर्तितं युद्धमन्योन्यं जयकांक्षिणोः । जंघाभ्यां पादबन्धेन बाहुभ्यां बाहुबंधनम्

Transliteration

tataḥ pravartitaṃ yuddhamanyonyaṃ jayakāṃkṣiṇoḥ | jaṃghābhyāṃ pādabandhena bāhubhyāṃ bāhubaṃdhanam

Translation

Alors s’engagea leur combat réciproque, tous deux avides de victoire : les pieds se verrouillaient aux tibias, et les bras s’enlaçaient aux bras dans une étreinte de lutte serrée.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (from then/thereafter)

• प्रवर्तितम्: was set in motion / commenced
• प्रवर्तितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘युद्धम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावप्राय-क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocally; adverbial accusative)

• जय-काङ्क्षिणोः: of the two desiring victory
• जय-काङ्क्षिणोः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक) + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; समासः—जयम् काङ्क्षिणौ (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• जङ्घाभ्याम्: with (their) shanks/legs
• जङ्घाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), द्विवचन

• पाद-बन्धेन: by a foot-lock
• पाद-बन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—पादस्य बन्धः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• बाहुभ्याम्: with (their) arms
• बाहुभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), द्विवचन

• बाहु-बन्धनम्: arm-binding (a hold)
• बाहु-बन्धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—बाहोः बन्धनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (arm-binding)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two divine combatants locked in close wrestling: shins interlaced, feet hooked, arms bound against arms; dust and sea-breeze implied, with Prabhāsa’s coastal aura in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa (implied combatant)
• Daitya (implied combatant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The struggle between dharma and adharma can be intimate and intense, yet steadfastness brings victory to righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, whose Māhātmya frames even the physical details of combat as part of its sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a vivid depiction of hand-to-hand combat.