Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

राक्षसेशोऽथ निरृती रथे रक्षोमुखैर्हयैः । धन्वी रक्षोगणवृतो महारावो व्यदृश्यत

Transliteration

rākṣaseśo'tha nirṛtī rathe rakṣomukhairhayaiḥ | dhanvī rakṣogaṇavṛto mahārāvo vyadṛśyata

Translation

ついで羅刹の主ニルリティが、羅刹の顔をもつ馬に曳かれる戦車に現れた。弓を執り、羅刹の軍勢に囲まれ、恐るべき轟きの咆哮を放った。

Word by Word

• राक्षसेशः: lord of the rākṣasas
• राक्षसेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राक्षसानाम् ईशः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/now)

• निरृती: Nirṛti (name/personified deity)
• निरृती: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रथे: on/in the chariot
• रथे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• रक्षोमुखैः: with rākṣasa-faced
• रक्षोमुखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्षस्-मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रक्षसां मुखानि यस्य)

• हयैः: horses
• हयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• धन्वी: bow-bearing
• धन्वी: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रक्षोगणवृतः: surrounded by a host of rākṣasas
• रक्षोगणवृतः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्षस्-गण-वृत (प्रातिपदिक; वृत = √वृ (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासभावः (रक्षोगणेन वृतः = surrounded by the troop of rākṣasas)

• महारावः: of great roar
• महारावः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-राव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् रावः)

• व्यदृश्यत: was seen/appeared
• व्यदृश्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive sense)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Characters & Entities

• Nirṛti
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma also organizes and displays power; the purāṇic lesson is vigilance—strength without righteousness becomes terrifying and destructive.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; this verse contributes to the broader mythic battle tableau.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive of opposing forces.