Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

पक्षं द्रोणेन चाह्नां च दशभिर्द्रौणिना रणे । षड्भिः कर्णेन च तथा सदा ममभयंकृता

Transliteration

pakṣaṃ droṇena cāhnāṃ ca daśabhirdrauṇinā raṇe | ṣaḍbhiḥ karṇena ca tathā sadā mamabhayaṃkṛtā

Translation

‘द्रोण—पंधरा दिवसांत; द्रौणि (अश्वत्थामा)—रणात दहा दिवसांत; आणि कर्ण—सहा दिवसांत.’ अशा रीतीने ते सदैव माझ्या भयाचे कारण ठरले आहेत.

Word by Word

• पक्षम्: a fortnight / half-month
• पक्षम्: Karma (Object/Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• द्रोणेन: by Droṇa
• द्रोणेन: Karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• अह्नाम्: of days
• अह्नाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• दशभिः: by ten
• दशभिः: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (संख्यावाचक) पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• द्रौणिना: by Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)
• द्रौणिना: Karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• षड्भिः: by six
• षड्भिः: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (संख्यावाचक) पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• कर्णेन: by Karṇa
• कर्णेन: Karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालबोधक अव्यय (always)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• भयंकृता: (was) fear-causing (to me)
• भयंकृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयम् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular); समासः—भयं करोति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Duryodhana (continuation of the query/assessment within Sūta’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kurukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark enumeration: Droṇa promises a fortnight, Aśvatthāman ten days, Karṇa six; Duryodhana’s fear is palpable. Visualize the three warriors as looming figures behind him, each with distinct weaponry and aura, while a symbolic wheel of time turns overhead.

Characters & Entities

• Droṇa
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman)
• Karṇa
• Duryodhana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fixation on conquest and timelines exposes inner fear; dharma teaches that unrighteous aims breed insecurity even amid power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.