Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततो गृहीत्वा मुशलं हलं च बलवान्हली । जघान दैत्यप्रवरान्कालानलयमोपमान्

Transliteration

tato gṛhītvā muśalaṃ halaṃ ca balavānhalī | jaghāna daityapravarānkālānalayamopamān

Translation

तब बलवान् हली (संकर्षण) ने मूसल और हल धारण करके, प्रलयकाल की अग्नि-सम भयानक दैत्य-प्रवरों का संहार किया।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय — ‘then’

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप क्रियाविशेषण (gerund) — Absolutive ‘having taken’

• मुशलम्: club/mace
• मुशलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हलम्: plough (weapon)
• हलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण of ‘हली’

• हली: the plough-bearer (Balarāma)
• हली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular (epithet of बलराम)

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• दैत्य-प्रवरान्: the foremost of the Daityas
• दैत्य-प्रवरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• काल-अनल-यम-उपमान्: like Death-Time, Fire, and Yama
• काल-अनल-यम-उपमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + यम (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण of ‘दैत्य-प्रवरान्’ — Masculine, Accusative, Plural; ‘having likeness to Kāla, Fire, and Yama’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Saṃkarṣaṇa (Balarāma), towering and radiant, lifts the muśala (mace) and lāṅgala (plough) and smites daitya-chiefs; the impact is likened to the world-ending fire.

Characters & Entities

• Halī (Balarāma/Saṃkarṣaṇa)
• Daitya
• Kāla
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection of sacred order may require decisive strength; divine power upholds dharma when adharma becomes violent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, shown as defended by Saṃkarṣaṇa (Balarāma), reinforcing its status as a divinely protected sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes divine action in battle.