Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

ततः कंपितमालक्ष्य गदां जग्राह केशवः । तां च वेगेन चिक्षेप कालनेमिवधं प्रति

Transliteration

tataḥ kaṃpitamālakṣya gadāṃ jagrāha keśavaḥ | tāṃ ca vegena cikṣepa kālanemivadhaṃ prati

Translation

അവൻ വിറയ്ക്കുന്നത് കണ്ട് കേശവൻ ഗദ കയ്യിലെടുത്ത്, കാലനേമിയെ വധിക്കാനായി അത് വേഗത്തിൽ എറിഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then/thereafter)

• कंपितम्: trembling/shaken
• कंपितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कम्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (लक्ष्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• आलक्ष्य: having noticed
• आलक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ+लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जग्राह: seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• केशवः: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ताम्: that (mace)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (गदाम् प्रति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• वेगेन: with force/speed
• वेगेन: Karana (Instrument/Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• चिक्षेप: threw
• चिक्षेप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कालनेमि-वधम्: the slaying of Kālanemi
• कालनेमि-वधम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालनेमि (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कालनेमेः वधः)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Sambandha (Directional/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय; दिशार्थे/प्रत्यर्थे (towards)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Keśava, noticing the demon’s tremor, grips the heavy mace and hurls it in a single decisive arc toward Kālanemi’s destruction.

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• Kālanemi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma weakens, dharma acts decisively—protection of the cosmic order is not delayed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.