Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

खड्गतोमरहस्तैश्च वज्राङ्कुशशरायुधैः । रक्षितं घोररूपैश्च दानवैर्बलदर्पितैः

Transliteration

khaḍgatomarahastaiśca vajrāṅkuśaśarāyudhaiḥ | rakṣitaṃ ghorarūpaiśca dānavairbaladarpitaiḥ

Translation

അത് ബലദർപ്പത്തിൽ മദിച്ച ഭീകരരൂപികളായ ദാനവന്മാർ കാവലിരുന്നു—കൈകളിൽ ഖഡ്ഗവും തോമരവും ധരിച്ചു, വജ്രം, അങ്കുശം, ശരായുധങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയാൽ സുസജ്ജരായി.

Word by Word

• खड्गतोमरहस्तैः: by those holding swords and javelins
• खड्गतोमरहस्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + तोमर (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (खड्गतोमरयोः हस्ताः येषां तैः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (agents/guards described)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वज्राङ्कुशशरायुधैः: with weapons like thunderbolts, goads, and arrows
• वज्राङ्कुशशरायुधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + शर (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वज्र-अङ्कुश-शर-आयुधैः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• रक्षितम्: guarded, protected
• रक्षितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; protected/guarded (qualifying भवनम्)

• घोररूपैः: by those of terrifying form
• घोररूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (घोरं रूपं येषां तैः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दानवैः: by demons (Dānavas)
• दानवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• बलदर्पितैः: proud because of strength
• बलदर्पितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्पित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (बलेन दर्पितैः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, not explicitly named in this snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (generic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ring of terrifying Dānavas guarding the palace: muscular forms, grim faces, weapons raised—swords, javelins, thunderbolt-like arms, goads, and arrows—standing at gates and ramparts.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Bāṇa (context: his stronghold)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power fortified by weapons and pride is still limited; dharma ultimately overrules mere force in Purāṇic storytelling.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues the narrative setting within the Revā region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a martial description of protection and armaments.