Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

केतुना मकरेणापि सेनानीर्ग्रसनो बभौ । पैशाचं यत्र वदनं जंभस्यासीदयस्मयम्

Transliteration

ketunā makareṇāpi senānīrgrasano babhau | paiśācaṃ yatra vadanaṃ jaṃbhasyāsīdayasmayam

Translation

ਮਕਰ-ਚਿੰਨ੍ਹ ਵਾਲੇ ਕੇਤੁ ਨਾਲ ਸੈਨਾਪਤੀ ਗ੍ਰਸਨ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਮਾਨ ਹੋਇਆ; ਅਤੇ ਉੱਥੇ ਜੰਭ ਦਾ ਮੁਖ ਪਿਸਾਚ-ਸਮਾਨ, ਲੋਹੇ ਵਾਂਗ ਕਠੋਰ ਸੀ।

Word by Word

• केतुना: by/with Ketu
• केतुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मकरेण: by/with a makara (sea-monster)
• मकरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे/समुच्चय (particle: 'also/even')

• सेनानीः: commander
• सेनानीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ग्रसनः: devouring, swallowing
• ग्रसनः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• बभौ: shone/appeared (as)
• बभौ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पैशाचम्: demonic, piśāca-like
• पैशाचम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पैशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक सम्बन्ध (relative adverb: 'where')

• वदनम्: face, mouth
• वदनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जम्भस्य: of Jambha
• जम्भस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• स्मयम्: smile, laughter
• स्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Commander Grāsana stands out with a makara-banner; nearby Jambha’s visage is described as piśāca-like and iron-hard—an image of ruthless resolve and inhuman ferocity.

Characters & Entities

• Grāsana
• Makara
• Jambha
• Ketu (banner)
• Piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic narrative contrasts terrifying, iron-hard demonic resolve with the divine order that ultimately subdues such pride.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the focus is on asura leaders and their insignia.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.