Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

येन साध्यो भवेच्छत्रुस्तारको हि महाबलः । तदोवाच महातेजा हिमवान्स सुरान्प्रति

Transliteration

yena sādhyo bhavecchatrustārako hi mahābalaḥ | tadovāca mahātejā himavānsa surānprati

Translation

「いかなる手段によって、まことに大いなる力をもつ敵タ―ラカを打ち破れるのか。」そう言うと、光輝に満ちたヒマヴァーンがデーヴァたちに語りかけた。

Word by Word

• येन: by which (means)
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; relative-instrumental/ablative sense here: 'by which means'

• साध्यः: to be subdued/achievable
• साध्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √साध् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण: 'to be accomplished/achievable'

• भवेत्: may become / would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शत्रुः: enemy
• शत्रुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तारकः: Tāraka
• तारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis/causal nuance

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'great-strength' = very strong

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महातेजाः: the great-splendored one
• महातेजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; 'one of great splendor'

• हिमवान्: Himavān (the Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• प्रति: towards / to
• प्रति: Sampradana/Direction (Goal/सम्प्रदान-गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद; here as postposition meaning 'towards/with regard to' governing accusative

Speaker

Lomaśa (narration transitioning into Himavān’s speech)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of Devas stands before the radiant personified Himavān; the question of how to defeat the mighty Tāraka hangs in the air, with Himalayan peaks as a luminous backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Tāraka
• Himavān (Himālaya)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Great obstacles require dharmic means (upāya) guided by wisdom, not merely force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit; the narrative is set in the Himālaya/Kedāra sacred sphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.