Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

अवाप विमलं खङ्गं महादेवाद्वरप्रदात् । ततो द्रौणिरवस्थाप्य कृतवर्मकृपावुभौ

Transliteration

avāpa vimalaṃ khaṅgaṃ mahādevādvarapradāt | tato drauṇiravasthāpya kṛtavarmakṛpāvubhau

Translation

വരദാതാവായ മഹാദേവനിൽ നിന്നു അവൻ നിർമലമായ ഖഡ്ഗം പ്രാപിച്ചു. തുടർന്ന് ദ്രോണപുത്രൻ കൃതവർമ്മനെയും കൃപനെയും അവരുടെ സ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ നിയോഗിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• अवाप: obtained
• अवाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• विमलम्: pure, spotless
• विमलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• खङ्गम्: sword
• खङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचनम्

• महादेवात्: from Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचनम्; समासः—महान् + देवः

• वरप्रदात्: from the giver of boons
• वरप्रदात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचनम्; समासः—वरस्य प्रदः (giver of boons)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha/Adverbial (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अव्यय-प्रकारः—काल/अनुक्रमसूचक (then/thereafter)

• द्रौणिः: Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)
• द्रौणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनम्

• अवस्थाप्य: having stationed/posted
• अवस्थाप्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव-√स्था + क्त्वा; ‘having stationed/placed’

• कृतवर्म: Kṛtavarmā
• कृतवर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतवर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रातिपदिक-रूपम् (समासपूर्वपद/नाम); ‘Kṛtavarmā’

• कृपौ: Kṛpa (as one of the two)
• कृपौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा (nominative), द्विवचनम् (dual)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा (nominative), द्विवचनम्; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Purāṇic narration style in Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra / Setubandha (Rāmeśvara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/śaunaka-group (typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aśvatthāmā receives a gleaming, spotless sword through Mahādeva’s boon; then he assigns Kṛtavarmā and Kṛpa to strategic posts near the camp perimeter under a moonlit sky.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)
• Kṛtavarmā
• Kṛpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is portrayed as the giver of boons; power received from the divine should be guided by dharma and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Setu-kṣetra (Rāmeśvaram/Setu region) context frames the narration, though this verse itself focuses on the episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse is narrative, highlighting divine boon and martial preparation.