Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

मां प्रहर्तुं कृतमतिर्भीमदण्डो भयानकः । सोऽपि चान्यैर्महावीरै पुरुषैरभिताडितः

Transliteration

māṃ prahartuṃ kṛtamatirbhīmadaṇḍo bhayānakaḥ | so'pi cānyairmahāvīrai puruṣairabhitāḍitaḥ

Translation

“तो मला मारण्याचा निश्चय करून आला होता—भयंकर दंडधारी, अतिशय भयावह. पण इतर महावीर पुरुषांनी त्यालाही प्रहार करून परतावले.”

Word by Word

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रहर्तुम्: to strike
• प्रहर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (धातु √हृ ‘to strike/take’)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तः (infinitive); ‘to strike’

• कृतमतिः: one who had resolved
• कृतमतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (√कृ, क्त) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः (‘कृता मतिः यस्य’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भीमदण्डः: with a terrible staff
• भीमदण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (‘भीमः दण्डः यस्य/भीमदण्डः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भयानकः: frightening
• भयानकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• महावीरैः: by great heroes
• महावीरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (‘महान् वीरः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• पुरुषैः: by men
• पुरुषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अभिताडितः: was beaten
• अभिताडितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-ताड् (धातु √ताड्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘beaten/struck’

Speaker

The young prince (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ominous staff-wielding man lunges toward the prince; in the same frame, strong protectors intercept him—arms raised, pushing him back—while sages remain steady, invoking protection; the prince recoils but is shielded.

Characters & Entities

• bhīma-daṇḍa (fearsome staff)
• mahā-vīra (great heroes)
• puruṣa (men)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Aggression rooted in fear is checked by dharmic strength; protection of the innocent is a core expression of kṣātra-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse focuses on protection and repelling harm.