Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

महाहनोर्यथा विप्रास्तथैवास्ति महद्बलम् । तत्सर्वं निहतं देव्या शरैः कांचनपुंखितैः

Transliteration

mahāhanoryathā viprāstathaivāsti mahadbalam | tatsarvaṃ nihataṃ devyā śaraiḥ kāṃcanapuṃkhitaiḥ

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രന്മാരേ! മഹാഹനുവിനോടു പോലെ അവിടെയും മഹാബലം ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ദേവി കാഞ്ചനപുങ്ഖിത ശരംകൊണ്ട് അതെല്ലാം നിഹതമായി ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• महाहनोः: of Mahāhanu
• महाहनोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—महान्+हनुः (कर्मधारय)

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुलना-बोधक (comparative particle)

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlative/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूप/एवमेव (correlative adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अस्ति: is, exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• बलम्: strength, force
• बलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषणम्

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• निहतम्: slain, destroyed
• निहतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (passive sense)

• देव्या: by the Goddess
• देव्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• कांचनपुंखितैः: having golden shafts/feathered with gold
• कांचनपुंखितैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन+पुंखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—काञ्चनस्य पुंखः येषां ते (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sūta (addressing viprāḥ)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ) addressed in the verse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Goddess stands poised in the battle-line, releasing arrows with golden fletching; the opposing host collapses in waves, weapons scattered, dust and light intermingling.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Mahāhanu
• Asura forces

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine agency can dissolve even ‘great power’ effortlessly; dharma is ultimately protected.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setukṣetra (Setu/Rāmeśvaram) is the broader pilgrimage frame of the Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.