Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 160

Devanagari script

तस्माद्युद्धावदानं च कर्तव्यमविशंकितैः । भवद्भिर्नान्यथा कार्यं देववाक्यप्रमाणतः

Transliteration

tasmādyuddhāvadānaṃ ca kartavyamaviśaṃkitaiḥ | bhavadbhirnānyathā kāryaṃ devavākyapramāṇataḥ

Translation

Maka, tanpa ragu-ragu hendaklah kamu melaksanakan usaha peperangan ini. Jangan bertindak selainnya, kerana sabda para dewa menjadi autoriti dan bukti.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे (therefore)

• युद्धावदानम्: heroic deed in battle
• युद्धावदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अवदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (युद्धस्य अवदानम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• कर्तव्यम्: must be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेयार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय ("to be done")

• अविशंकितैः: by the unhesitating (fearless)
• अविशंकितैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + विशंकित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-आधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (भवद्भिः)

• भवद्भिः: by you (respected)
• भवद्भिः: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; आदरार्थक द्वितीयपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कार्यम्: what is to be done/duty
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्) कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; "to be done/ duty"

• देववाक्यप्रमाणतः: on the authority of the divine word
• देववाक्यप्रमाणतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) "-तः"; तत्पुरुष-समास (देवस्य वाक्यं प्रमाणं यस्मात्)

Speaker

Vṛtra (addressing the Asuras)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A leader or divine messenger addressing assembled warriors, arm raised in instruction; behind them a banner with Śiva’s emblem; the battlefield path ahead is lit as if by a sacred fire-road, suggesting ‘yuddha’ as consecrated duty.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛtra
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires resolute action without fear when duty is clear and sanctioned by higher authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is within Kedārakhaṇḍa, connected to the Kedāra sacred region, though the line itself focuses on martial duty rather than a tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific vrata, dāna, snāna, or japa is prescribed here; it is an injunction toward steadfast performance of duty.