Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

कामधेनुविसृष्टैस्तु म्लेच्छाद्यैः स पराजितः । महादेवं समाराध्य तस्मादस्त्राण्यवाप्य च

Transliteration

kāmadhenuvisṛṣṭaistu mlecchādyaiḥ sa parājitaḥ | mahādevaṃ samārādhya tasmādastrāṇyavāpya ca

Translation

കാമധേനുവിൽ നിന്നു സൃഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെട്ട മ്ലേച്ഛാദി സൈന്യങ്ങളാൽ അവൻ പരാജിതനായി. തുടർന്ന് മഹാദേവനെ ആരാധിച്ച് അവനിൽ നിന്നു ദിവ്യാസ്ത്രങ്ങളും പ്രാപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• कामधेनु-विसृष्टैः: by those created/released by Kāmadhenu
• कामधेनु-विसृष्टैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामधेनु (प्रातिपदिक) + विसृष्ट (कृदन्त; √सृज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कामधेनोः विसृष्टाः = by those released by Kāmadhenu)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• म्लेच्छ-आद्यैः: by the Mlecchas and others
• म्लेच्छ-आद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (आदि-शब्देन ‘etc.’)

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

• पराजितः: defeated
• पराजितः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराजित (कृदन्त; √जि धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे ‘defeated’

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• समाराध्य: having worshipped/propitiated
• समाराध्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having propitiated/worshipped’

• तस्मात्: from him/therefrom
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अस्त्राणि: weapons (missiles)
• अस्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• अवाप्य: having obtained
• अवाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having obtained’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Purāṇic narrative style within Setukhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humbled king, routed by uncanny mleccha-like forces emanating from Kāmadhenu, turns from battlefield to a Śiva-shrine/meditation posture; Mahādeva bestows radiant astras.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmadhenu
• Mleccha
• Mahādeva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after defeat, turning to Mahādeva with sincere worship can transform one’s destiny and restore strength through dharmic means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative rather than a direct tīrtha-glorification; within Setukhaṇḍa it supports the larger sanctity of the Setu region by illustrating dharma and devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Propitiation (ārādhana) of Mahādeva—devotional worship and austerity—though no specific vrata or dāna is specified in this line.