Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

पलायति गजे तस्मिन्नारूढः पाकशासनः । विपरीतमुखं युद्धं दानवेन्द्रेण सोऽकरोत्

Transliteration

palāyati gaje tasminnārūḍhaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ | viparītamukhaṃ yuddhaṃ dānavendreṇa so'karot

Translation

ആ ഗജം ഓടിപ്പോകുമ്പോൾ അതിന്മേൽ ആരൂഢനായ പാകശാസനൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) പിന്നോട്ടു മുഖം തിരിച്ച് ദാനവേന്ദ്രനോടു യുദ്ധം ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• पलायति: flees
• पलायति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पलाय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गजे: on the elephant
• गजे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: on that (one)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आरूढः: mounted
• आरूढः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु) → आरूढ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• पाकशासनः: Indra (Punisher of Pāka)
• पाकशासनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक (प्रातिपदिक) + शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पाकस्य शासनः) — इन्द्रः

• विपरीतमुखम्: with face turned away/backward-facing
• विपरीतमुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विपरीतं मुखं यस्य/यत्)

• युद्धम्: battle/fight
• युद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दानवेन्द्रेण: by the lord of the Dānavas
• दानवेन्द्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दानवानाम् इन्द्रः)

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

• अकरोत्: did/made
• अकरोत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Airāvata bolts; Indra, gripping weapons, twists his torso to face backward, striking at the dānava-lord pursuing—an image of controlled valor amid retreat.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Pākaśāsana)
• Dānavendra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kṣatriya-duty includes persistence and courage: even when circumstances force retreat, one continues to protect and resist adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.