Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14
Devanagari script
भग्नैषाश्च रथाः पेतुर्भग्नाक्षाः शकलीकृताः । पत्तयः कोटिशः पेतुस्तुरंगाश्च सहस्रशः
Transliteration
bhagnaiṣāśca rathāḥ peturbhagnākṣāḥ śakalīkṛtāḥ | pattayaḥ koṭiśaḥ petusturaṃgāśca sahasraśaḥ
Translation
折れた轅の戦車は倒れ、車軸も砕けて木片となった。歩兵は億のごとく倒れ、馬もまた幾千と斃れた。
Word by Word
भग्नैषाःbroken (these)
भग्नैषाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootभग्न (कृदन्त, √भञ्ज्) + इषा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. nom. pl.)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
रथाःchariots
रथाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.)
पेतुःfell
पेतुः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√पत् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd pl. perfect)
भग्नाक्षाःwith broken axles
भग्नाक्षाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootभग्न (कृदन्त, √भञ्ज्) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अक्षाणां भग्नाः) (masc. nom. pl.)
शकलीकृताःshattered into pieces
शकलीकृताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootशकल (प्रातिपदिक) + √कृ (धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (past passive participle)
पत्तयःfoot-soldiers
पत्तयः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.)
कोटिशःin crores
कोटिशः:
Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्ययार्थ)
Formपरिमाण-अव्यय (adverb of number: ‘by crores’)
पेतुःfell
पेतुः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√पत् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd pl. perfect)
तुरंगाःhorses
तुरंगाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतुरंग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
सहस्रशःby thousands
सहस्रशः:
Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्ययार्थ)
Formपरिमाण-अव्यय (adverb of number: ‘by thousands’)
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A devastated chariot-field: splintered chariots with broken axles, scattered wheels, fallen standards; countless foot-soldiers strewn across dust; horses collapsing amid flying debris.
FAQs
Mass destruction in war is portrayed to highlight the heavy cost of adharma and the fleeting nature of martial glory.
No specific sacred site is referenced in this verse.
None; the verse is purely narrative.