Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

तस्यारक्षद्भवः पार्श्वं दक्षिणं चैव तं हरिः । पृष्ठे च पार्षदास्तस्य कोटिशोऽर्बदशस्तथा

Transliteration

tasyārakṣadbhavaḥ pārśvaṃ dakṣiṇaṃ caiva taṃ hariḥ | pṛṣṭhe ca pārṣadāstasya koṭiśo'rbadaśastathā

Translation

അവന്റെ പാർശ്വം ഭവൻ (ശിവൻ) കാത്തു, വലതുഭാഗം ഹരി (വിഷ്ണു) കാത്തു; പിന്നിൽ അവന്റെ പാർഷദർ കോടികളായും അർബുദങ്ങളായും നിലകൊണ്ടു।

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• अरक्षत्: protected
• अरक्षत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शिवनाम

• पार्श्वम्: the side
• पार्श्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• दक्षिणम्: right
• दक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पार्श्वम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction ‘and’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (indeed)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विष्णुनाम

• पृष्ठे: at/on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• पार्षदाः: attendants (gaṇas)
• पार्षदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• कोटिशः: in crores
• कोटिशः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (तद्धित-अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक (in crores, by crores)

• अर्बदशः: in arbudas (vast numbers)
• अर्बदशः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्बद (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (तद्धित-अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (in arbuda-units, by arbudas)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यत्व (likewise/also)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda advances with a protective formation: Bhava guarding one flank, Hari guarding the right; behind, innumerable gaṇas/attendants in vast ranks, forming a divine battle-array.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Bhava (Śiva)
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Pārṣadas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma must be reestablished, divine powers unite—Śiva and Viṣṇu together support Skanda’s mission.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse emphasizes theological unity (Hari–Hara) rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.