Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

विदर्भनृपतिः सोऽथ कृत्वा युद्धं सुदारुणम् । प्रनष्टोरुबलैः शाल्वैर्निहतो रणमूर्धनि

Transliteration

vidarbhanṛpatiḥ so'tha kṛtvā yuddhaṃ sudāruṇam | pranaṣṭorubalaiḥ śālvairnihato raṇamūrdhani

Translation

പിന്നീട് വിദർഭരാജാവ് അത്യന്തം ദാരുണമായ യുദ്ധം നടത്തി; എങ്കിലും മഹാബലം ക്ഷയിക്കാത്ത ശാൽവന്മാർ യുദ്ധത്തിന്റെ ഉച്ചത്തിൽ അവനെ വധിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• विदर्भनृपतिः: the king of Vidarbha
• विदर्भनृपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदर्भ-नृपति (प्रातिपदिक; विदर्भ + नृपति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थ (then/thereupon)

• कृत्वा: having done/fought
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुदारुणम्: very dreadful
• सुदारुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-दारुण (प्रातिपदिक; सु + दारुण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) युद्धम् इति विशेष्यस्य

• प्रनष्टोरुबलैः: whose great forces were ruined/dispersed
• प्रनष्टोरुबलैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नष्ट-उरु-बल (प्रातिपदिक; प्रनष्ट + उरु + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) शाल्वैः इति विशेष्यस्य

• शाल्वैः: by the Śālvas
• शाल्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया-फल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense)

• रणमूर्धनि: on the battlefield (at the battle-front)
• रणमूर्धनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण-मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक; रण + मूर्धन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the climax of combat, the Vidarbha king Satyaratha falls—surrounded by unbroken Śālva forces; banners tilt, chariot wheels halt, dust and arrows hang in the air; the moment is both heroic and tragic.

Characters & Entities

• Satyaratha
• Vidarbha
• Śālva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the dharmic and courageous face mortality; worldly power is impermanent and tested by fate and conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse centers on battlefield fate rather than pilgrimage merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the turning point of the conflict.