Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

एवं न शक्यते हन्तुं दानवो विविधायुधैः । तदा ज्वालाकरालाश्च खड्गनाराचतोमराः

Transliteration

evaṃ na śakyate hantuṃ dānavo vividhāyudhaiḥ | tadā jvālākarālāśca khaḍganārācatomarāḥ

Translation

ଏଭଳି ଭାବେ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଆୟୁଧଦ୍ୱାରା ମଧ୍ୟ ଦାନବଙ୍କୁ ବଧ କରିବା ସମ୍ଭବ ହେଲା ନାହିଁ। ତେବେ ଜ୍ୱାଳାମୟ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଖଡ୍ଗ, ନାରାଚ ଓ ତୋମର ପ୍ରକଟ ହେଲା।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘thus/in this way’)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निषेध (negation)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि प्रयोग, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, Passive, 3rd person, Singular

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive) — ‘to kill’

• दानवः: the demon
• दानवः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• विविधायुधैः: with various weapons
• विविधायुधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विविध + आयुध (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; कर्मधारयः (विविधानि आयुधानि)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• ज्वालाकरालाः: flame-fierce/terrible like flames
• ज्वालाकरालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला + कराल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारयः (ज्वालावत् करालाः)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• खड्गनाराचतोमराः: swords, iron arrows, and javelins
• खड्गनाराचतोमराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग + नाराच + तोमर (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (खड्गाः च नाराचाः च तोमराः च)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-mandala (contextual frame)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Despite volleys of varied weapons, the Dānava stands unfallen; then fearsome, flame-wreathed swords, arrows, and spears manifest—like molten streaks—signaling a new, more terrible phase.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere force may fail against entrenched adharma; victory requires the right means, right authority, and alignment with cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the surrounding Revā Khaṇḍa context relates to the sacred Narmadā region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.