Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अवाकिरद्बाणवर्षैर्देवीं समरमूर्द्धनि । बाणजालानि तस्याशु चंडकोपस्य लीलया

Transliteration

avākiradbāṇavarṣairdevīṃ samaramūrddhani | bāṇajālāni tasyāśu caṃḍakopasya līlayā

Translation

സമരത്തിന്റെ ഉച്ചത്തിൽ അവൻ ബാണവർഷംകൊണ്ട് ദേവിയെ മൂടി; ചണ്ഡകോപന്റെ ലീലാമാത്രത്തിൽ തന്നെ വേഗത്തിൽ ബാണജാലങ്ങൾ പ്രക്ഷിപ്തമായി.

Word by Word

• अवाकिरत्: showered, scattered
• अवाकिरत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+कॄ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बाणवर्षैः: with showers of arrows
• बाणवर्षैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण+वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—बाणानां वर्षम् (तत्पुरुष)

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समरमूर्द्धनि: on the battlefield (at the battle’s head/front)
• समरमूर्द्धनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर+मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—समरस्य मूर्धनि (तत्पुरुष)

• बाणजालानि: nets/masses of arrows
• बाणजालानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण+जाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—बाणानां जालानि (तत्पुरुष)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• चण्डकोपस्य: of Caṇḍakopa
• चण्डकोपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डकोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• लीलया: playfully, with ease
• लीलया: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrative continuation after Mahīṣa’s speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/brāhmaṇas in the frame audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Caṇḍakopa unleashes a dense rain of arrows, forming net-like lattices in the air; the Goddess stands at the battle’s apex, framed by a halo, arrows streaking like lines of light.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Caṇḍakopa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Opposition may appear overwhelming, yet the divine remains unshaken; trials test resolve without diminishing truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setukṣetra is the overarching sacred setting of the Setukhaṇḍa, though this verse focuses on combat.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.