Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

शस्त्रास्त्रैर्विविधाकारैर्योधयामासतुस्तदा । पुनर्नंदिनमालोक्य शक्रो युद्ध विशारदः

Transliteration

śastrāstrairvividhākārairyodhayāmāsatustadā | punarnaṃdinamālokya śakro yuddha viśāradaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവർ ഇരുവരും പലവിധ ശസ്ത്രാസ്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ യുദ്ധം ചെയ്തു. വീണ്ടും നന്ദിയെ കണ്ട യുദ്ധവിശാരദനായ ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) അവന്റെ ദിക്കിലേക്ക് ശ്രദ്ധ തിരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• शस्त्र-अस्त्रैः: with weapons and missiles
• शस्त्र-अस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (शस्त्राणि च अस्त्राणि च)

• विविध-आकारैः: of various forms
• विविध-आकारैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् (śastrāstraiḥ)

• योधयामासतुः: the two fought / engaged
• योधयामासतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (periphrastic perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (again/then)

• नन्दिनम्: Nandin
• नन्दिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): having seen/observed

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युद्ध: in battle
• युद्ध: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here used as उपपद/विशेषणार्थे (battle-) in compound-like usage with viśāradaḥ

• विशारदः: skilled, expert
• विशारदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (śakraḥ)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vīrabhadra and Viṣṇu exchange diverse weapons and astras; Indra, noticing Nandin, shifts attention—suggesting a new threat or a dharmic sign.

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra (implied as combatant)
• Viṣṇu (implied as combatant)
• Indra (Śakra)
• Nandin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the most skilled combatants reassess when confronted by Śiva’s attendants; divine support systems (gaṇas) embody the power of devotion and service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra tīrtha’s mythic setting is maintained through the Kedārakhaṇḍa narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here.