Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ममर्द दैत्यसेनां तद्धर्ममर्थवचो यथा । निमिं विव्याध विंशत्या वाणैरनलवर्चसैः

Transliteration

mamarda daityasenāṃ taddharmamarthavaco yathā | nimiṃ vivyādha viṃśatyā vāṇairanalavarcasaiḥ

Translation

ಅವನು ದೈತ್ಯಸೇನೆಯನ್ನು ಧರ್ಮಾನುಕೂಲ ಅರ್ಥವಚನವು ಅಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ದಮನಿಸುವಂತೆ ಮರ್ಧಿಸಿದನು. ಮತ್ತು ನಿಮಿಯನ್ನು ಅಗ್ನಿವರ್ಚಸ್ಸಿನ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ ಭೇದಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• ममर्द: he crushed
• ममर्द: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दैत्यसेनाम्: the demon army
• दैत्यसेनाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दैत्यानां सेना)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमानवाक्ये निर्देश (that)

• धर्मम्: dharma/law
• धर्मम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अर्थवचः: meaningful speech/words of sense
• अर्थवचः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अर्थयुक्तं वचः)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमान/प्रकारबोधक (as/just as)

• निमिम्: Nimi
• निमिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विव्याध: he pierced
• विव्याध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विंशत्या: with twenty (i.e., by twenty)
• विंशत्या: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द), तृतीया, एकवचन; परिमाण/संख्याबोधक (by twenty)

• वाणैः: with arrows
• वाणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अनलवर्चसैः: having the brilliance of fire
• अनलवर्चसैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; वाणैः विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अनलस्य वर्चः इव/अनलवर्चस्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari’s arrow-volley tears through the demon ranks; Nimi is singled out, struck by twenty fire-bright arrows; the battlefield is lit as if by sparks, while the simile of dharmic words ‘crushing’ wrongdoing is suggested through compositional dominance and order emerging from chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Nimi
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-guided speech and counsel can ‘crush’ adharma; when needed, divine action decisively removes obstruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; the focus is on dharma-yuddha imagery.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative description of combat.