Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68
Devanagari script
ततस्तौ सुमहायुद्धे संसक्तौ देवदैत्ययौः । धर्माधर्माविवोदग्रौ जगदाश्चर्यकारकौ
Transliteration
tatastau sumahāyuddhe saṃsaktau devadaityayauḥ | dharmādharmāvivodagrau jagadāścaryakārakau
Translation
അപ്പോൾ ആ മഹായുദ്ധത്തിൽ ദേവനും ദൈത്യനും പരസ്പരം കഠിനമായി ഏറ്റുമുട്ടി—ധർമ്മവും അധർമ്മവും യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ബന്ധിതമായതുപോലെ—സകല ലോകത്തിനും വിസ്മയം പകർന്നു।
Word by Word
ततःthen
ततः:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम
सुमहायुद्धेin a very great battle
सुमहायुद्धे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootसु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘अतिमहद् युद्धम्’ इति (very great battle)
संसक्तौengaged, locked (in combat)
संसक्तौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम् + √सञ्ज् (धातु) → संसक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; भूतकृदन्त-क्त (engaged/locked in)
देवदैत्ययौःthe god and the demon
देवदैत्ययौः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (the god and the demon)
धर्माधर्मौdharma and adharma
धर्माधर्मौ:
Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व (dharma and adharma)
इवlike
इव:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानवाचक (like/as)
उदग्रौlofty, intense
उदग्रौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootउदग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; विशेषण (lofty/vehement)
जगत्of the world
जगत्:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootजगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (वैकल्पिकं: प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन); अत्र षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपद (of the world)
आश्चर्यकारकौcausing wonder (to the world)
आश्चर्यकारकौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootआश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; ‘आश्चर्यं करोति’ इति (causing wonder)
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Skanda and Tāraka locked in close combat, weapons flashing; the scene is framed allegorically—light vs shadow, order vs chaos—evoking Dharma and Adharma personified.
Characters & Entities
S
Skanda (Deva)T
Tāraka (Daitya)D
DharmaA
AdharmaFAQs
Human history mirrors a larger metaphysical struggle: dharma and adharma contend, but dharma’s champion ultimately prevails.
No specific site is mentioned; the focus is the cosmic symbolism of the duel.
None.