Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

भीष्मेण विहिता कृष्ण रथातिरथवर्णना । ततो दुर्योधनोऽपृच्छदिदं स्वीयान्महारथान्

Transliteration

bhīṣmeṇa vihitā kṛṣṇa rathātirathavarṇanā | tato duryodhano'pṛcchadidaṃ svīyānmahārathān

Translation

О Кришна, так Бхишма изложил описание ратх и атиратх. После этого Дурьодхана задал этот вопрос своим великим колесничим воинам.

Word by Word

• भीष्मेण: by Bhīṣma
• भीष्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• विहिता: was arranged/prescribed
• विहिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• कृष्ण: O Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• रथातिरथवर्णना: the description of chariot-warriors and great chariot-warriors
• रथातिरथवर्णना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + अतिरथ + वर्णना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular); समासः—रथानां च अतिरथानां च वर्णना (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय (then)

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• अपृच्छत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• स्वीयान्: his own
• स्वीयान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• महारथान्: great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural); समासः—महान् रथः यस्य (महान् रथी)

Speaker

Sūta (narrative address to Kṛṣṇa within the retelling)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kurukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Duryodhana, tense and calculating, turns to question his own champions after Bhīṣma’s classification; Kṛṣṇa is invoked in narration as the divine addressee; war camp with prominent heroes in attendance.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Bhīṣma
• Duryodhana
• Mahāratha
• Ratha/Atiratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride seeks reassurance through numbers and ranks, but dharma is not secured merely by strength or classification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it continues the battlefield narrative framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.