Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20
Devanagari script
राक्षसी मथनस्यापि ध्वांक्षोऽभूज्जंभकस्य च । महावृकश्च शुम्भस्य ध्वजा एवंविधा बभुः
Transliteration
rākṣasī mathanasyāpi dhvāṃkṣo'bhūjjaṃbhakasya ca | mahāvṛkaśca śumbhasya dhvajā evaṃvidhā babhuḥ
Translation
मथन के ध्वज पर राक्षसी थी, जंभक के ध्वज पर कौआ; और शुम्भ के ध्वज पर महावृक—भयानक बड़ा भेड़िया—था। ऐसे ही उनके ध्वज थे।
Word by Word
rākṣasīdemoness
rākṣasī:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootrākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
mathanasyaof Mathana
mathanasya:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootmathana (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
apialso
api:
Samuccaya/Emphasis (Nipāta/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; also/too)
dhvāṃkṣaḥcrow
dhvāṃkṣaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdhvāṃkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
abhūtbecame
abhūt:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (भू सत्तायाम्)
Formलङ्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
jaṃbhakasyaof Jaṃbhaka
jaṃbhakasya:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootjaṃbhaka (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
mahā-vṛkaḥgreat wolf
mahā-vṛkaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
śumbhasyaof Śumbha
śumbhasya:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootśumbha (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
dhvajāḥbanners/standards
dhvajāḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)
evaṃ-vidhāḥof such a kind
evaṃ-vidhāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootevaṃ (अव्यय) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास
babhuḥwere/became
babhuḥ:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (भू सत्तायाम्)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Three banners dominate the frame: Mathana’s with a fierce rākṣasī; Jambhaka’s with a black crow perched and cawing; Śumbha’s with a massive wolf baring fangs. The army’s standards ripple like a forest of poles.
Characters & Entities
M
MathanaJ
JambhakaŚ
ŚumbhaR
RākṣasīD
Dhvāṅkṣa (crow)M
Mahāvṛka (great wolf)FAQs
The text uses ominous banner-signs to portray the moral atmosphere of demonic forces—symbols of scavenging and violence.
None is referenced.
None.