Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तिस्रः कोट्यस्तु विख्याता निहताः सव्यसाचिना । गवेष्ठी कालनेमिश्च जंभो वल्कल एव च

Transliteration

tisraḥ koṭyastu vikhyātā nihatāḥ savyasācinā | gaveṣṭhī kālanemiśca jaṃbho valkala eva ca

Translation

ସବ୍ୟସାଚୀ (ଅର୍ଜୁନ) ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ତିନି କୋଟି ଶତ୍ରୁଙ୍କୁ ନିହତ କଲେ—ଗବେଷ୍ଠୀ, କାଳନେମି, ଜମ୍ଭ ଓ ବଲ୍କଲ ମଧ୍ୟ।

Word by Word

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• कोट्यः: crores (tens of millions)
• कोट्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• विख्याताः: well-known/renowned
• विख्याताः: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ख्या (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘renowned’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘कोट्यः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• निहताः: were slain
• निहताः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘slain’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (दैत्याः इति अध्याहार्य)

• सव्यसाचिना: by Savyasācin (Arjuna)
• सव्यसाचिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्यसाचिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गवेष्ठी: Gaveṣṭhī
• गवेष्ठी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गवेष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• कालनेमिः: Kālanemi
• कालनेमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालनेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• जंभः: Jambha
• जंभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• वल्कलः: Valkala
• वल्कलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• एव: also/indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (chapter frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arjuna in chariot or standing stance, releasing volleys of arrows; a vast host of asuras falling; named leaders (Gaveṣṭhī, Kālanemi, Jambha, Valkala) shown as prominent figures amid the rout.

Characters & Entities

• Savyasācī (Arjuna)
• Gaveṣṭhī
• Kālanemi
• Jambha
• Valkala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected through divinely-supported valor; the Purāṇas memorialize such victories to inspire steadfastness against destructive forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly tied to Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s narrative frame; this verse itself lists adversaries and does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse is enumerative and genealogical.