Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अथ दृष्ट्वातिदुर्धर्षं कुजंभो राक्षसेश्वरम् । नोदयामास दैत्यान्स राक्षसेशरथं प्रति

Transliteration

atha dṛṣṭvātidurdharṣaṃ kujaṃbho rākṣaseśvaram | nodayāmāsa daityānsa rākṣaseśarathaṃ prati

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അത്യന്തം ദുർധർഷനായ രാക്ഷസാധിപനെ കണ്ട കുജംഭൻ, ആ രാക്ഷസരാജന്റെ രഥത്തിനെതിരെ ദൈത്യരെ മുന്നോട്ടു പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (then/now)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• अतिदुर्धर्षम्: very hard to assail
• अतिदुर्धर्षम्: Karman (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्धर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• कुजंभः: Kujambha
• कुजंभः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुजंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• राक्षसेश्वरम्: lord of the demons
• राक्षसेश्वरम्: Karman (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नोदयामास: urged/impelled
• नोदयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नुद् (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• दैत्यान्: the Daityas
• दैत्यान्: Karman (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

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

• राक्षसेशरथम्: the chariot of the demon-lord
• राक्षसेशरथम्: Karman (कर्म/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Dik/Goal (दिक्/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (preposition)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kujaṃbha, seeing the formidable rākṣasa-king, rallies the Daityas and drives them toward the enemy chariot; the focus is on leadership gesture—raised arm, forward-pointing weapon, troops surging in response.

Characters & Entities

• Kujaṃbha
• Rākṣaseśvara
• Daitya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Confronting formidable opposition requires resolve and organized effort; dharma is upheld through disciplined courage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.