Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

एवं परस्परेणैव कुमारश्चैव तारकः । युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ शक्तियुद्धपरायणौ

Transliteration

evaṃ paraspareṇaiva kumāraścaiva tārakaḥ | yuyudhāte'tisaṃrabdhau śaktiyuddhaparāyaṇau

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പരസ്പരം നേരിട്ടുനിന്ന കുമാരനും താരകനും—ഇരുവരും അത്യന്തം ക്രുദ്ധരായി—ശക്തി-യുദ്ധത്തിൽ പരായണരായി പോരാടി।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha/Avyaya (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (manner adverb)

• परस्परेण: with each other/mutually
• परस्परेण: Sahakara/Reciprocal (Mutuality)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; परस्पर-प्रयोग (reciprocal)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• कुमारः: Kumāra
• कुमारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• तारकः: Tāraka
• तारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• युयुधाते: the two fought
• युयुधाते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Dual, Atmanepada

• अतिसंरब्धौ: highly enraged
• अतिसंरब्धौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिसंरब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; अति + सं + √रभ् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययाधारित विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — Past-participle-based adjective, Masculine, Nominative, Dual; विशेषण (कुमारः, तारकः)

• शक्तियुद्धपरायणौ: devoted to fighting with spears/weapon-combat
• शक्तियुद्धपरायणौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्तियुद्धपरायण (प्रातिपदिक; शक्ति + युद्ध + परायण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Dual; विशेषण (कुमारः, तारकः)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda and Tāraka stand locked in a fierce exchange, spears flashing; both are forward-leaning, eyes fixed, the space between them charged with motion lines and dust.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• Tāraka
• Śakti (spear/weapon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma confronts adharma directly, the struggle becomes decisive; steadfast resolve is portrayed as a divine quality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-khaṇḍa setting frames the episode within Kedārakṣetra’s sanctifying narrative tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes the intensity and method of the duel.