Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 200

Devanagari script

महीधरं तमायांतं सस्मितं दैत्यपुंगवः । जग्राह वामहस्तेन बालः कन्दुकलीलया

Transliteration

mahīdharaṃ tamāyāṃtaṃ sasmitaṃ daityapuṃgavaḥ | jagrāha vāmahastena bālaḥ kandukalīlayā

Translation

ആ പർവ്വതസമമായത് മുന്നോട്ട് വന്നപ്പോൾ, പുഞ്ചിരിയോടെ ദൈത്യശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ആ ദിവ്യബാലൻ ഇടങ്കൈകൊണ്ട് അതിനെ കുഞ്ഞിന്റെ പന്തുകളിപോലെ പിടിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• महीधरम्: the mountain
• महीधरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, √धृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—महीं धरति इति (mountain)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आयान्तम्: coming
• आयान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√या (धातु) → आयान्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle)

• सस्मितम्: smiling
• सस्मितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- (उपसर्ग/प्रत्यय) + स्मित (कृदन्त, √स्मि/स्मय्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दैत्यपुंगवः: the foremost of the Daityas
• दैत्यपुंगवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—दैत्येषु पुंगवः (bull/foremost among demons)

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

• वामहस्तेन: with the left hand
• वामहस्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—वामः हस्तः (left hand)

• बालः: the boy (Bāla)
• बालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कन्दुकलीलया: as if in a game of ball
• कन्दुकलीलया: Karana (Manner/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्दुक (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—कन्दुकस्य लीला (as in ball-play)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal mountain hurtles forward; the Daitya-foremost, appearing as a radiant divine child, smiles and catches the mountain with his left hand as if catching a ball, utterly unstrained; onlookers freeze in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Daitya (asura) champion
• Bāla (Kumāra/Skanda in context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine mastery can appear effortless—true power is steady, playful, and unshaken even amid conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it belongs to a martial narrative within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive narration of battle prowess.