Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

तेन देवगणाः सर्वे ध्वस्ताः पार्थिवसत्तम । संग्रामे विविधैः शस्त्रैश्चक्रवज्रादिभिर्घनैः

Transliteration

tena devagaṇāḥ sarve dhvastāḥ pārthivasattama | saṃgrāme vividhaiḥ śastraiścakravajrādibhirghanaiḥ

Translation

हे पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ! युद्धात चक्र, वज्र इत्यादी घन-भारी विविध शस्त्रांच्या प्रहारांनी त्याने सर्व देवगणांना चिरडून टाकले.

Word by Word

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया) एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular (neuter)

• देवगणाः: groups of gods
• देवगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + गण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) बहुवचनम्; Nominative plural (masc.)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्; Nominative plural (masc.)

• ध्वस्ताः: destroyed/defeated
• ध्वस्ताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वंस् (धातु) → ध्वस्त (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (PPP); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; Past passive participle, nominative plural (masc.)

• पार्थिवसत्तम: O best of kings
• पार्थिवसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन) एकवचनम्; Vocative singular (masc.)

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी) एकवचनम्; Locative singular (masc.)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; Instrumental plural (neuter)

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons
• शस्त्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; Instrumental plural (neuter)

• चक्रवज्रादिभिः: with discs, thunderbolts, and the like
• चक्रवज्रादिभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र + वज्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; Instrumental plural (neuter); ‘…and the like’ (आदि)

• घनैः: heavy/solid
• घनैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; Instrumental plural (neuter)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva-sattama (addressed king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single mighty Dānava overwhelms assembled devas; heavy divine weapons—cakra and vajra—flash yet fail, with devas reeling amid dust and shattered chariots.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Cakra
• Vajra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power used in adharma brings devastation even upon the mighty; victory in arms is not the same as righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this is martial narration.