Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21
Devanagari script
विफलां तां समालोक्य यमः स्वशरसंततिम्
Transliteration
viphalāṃ tāṃ samālokya yamaḥ svaśarasaṃtatim
Translation
विफलां तां समालोक्य यमः स्वशरसंततिम्, मनसि क्रोधमाधाय प्रत्युद्योगं चकार ह।
Word by Word
विफलाम्fruitless/ineffective
विफलाम्:
Karma (Object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootविफल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (ताम्)
ताम्that (one)
ताम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन
समालोक्यhaving observed
समालोक्य:
Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + लोक् (धातु) → समालोक्य (कृदन्त)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund/absolutive), उपसर्ग: सम्-आ-
यमःYama
यमः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन
स्वशरसंततिम्his own stream of arrows
स्वशरसंततिम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व + शर + संतति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य शराणां संततिः)
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A brief pause amid chaos: Yama’s face hardens as he realizes his arrow-volley is ineffective; the battlefield behind remains in motion, emphasizing his strategic pivot.
Characters & Entities
Y
YamaFAQs
When force fails, the Purāṇic narrative often pivots toward a decisive dharmic resolution—implying that mere aggression cannot secure ultimate victory.
No tīrtha is named in this partial verse.
None.