Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

स खड्गशंखावादाय वैश्यपुत्रसहायवान् । दंशितो हयमारुह्य कुमारो विजिगीषया

Transliteration

sa khaḍgaśaṃkhāvādāya vaiśyaputrasahāyavān | daṃśito hayamāruhya kumāro vijigīṣayā

Translation

அந்த இளவரசன் வணிகன் மகனைத் துணையாகக் கொண்டு வாள் ஒலியும் சங்க நாதமும் எழுப்பினான்; பின்னர் ஆயுதம் தரித்து வெற்றியெண்ணத்துடன் குதிரை ஏறினான்।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — 'he'

• खड्गशंखावादाय: for the battle-sounding of swords and conches
• खड्गशंखावादाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग + शंख + वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन — 'for the sounding/clamor of swords and conches'

• वैश्यपुत्रसहायवान्: having the merchant’s son as an ally
• वैश्यपुत्रसहायवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैश्य + पुत्र + सहायवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वैश्यपुत्रः सहायः यस्य सः (possessive sense expressed via -वत्) — 'having a merchant's son as helper'

• दंशितः: armed; equipped
• दंशितः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दंश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — 'armed/accoutred'

• हयम्: a horse
• हयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'horse'

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having mounted'

• कुमारः: the prince
• कुमारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — 'prince/youth'

• विजिगीषया: with a desire to conquer
• विजिगीषया: Hetu (Motive/Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + जिगीषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — 'with the desire to conquer' (instrumental of motive)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice, traditionally Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhadrāyu, armored and resolute, mounts a horse; a conch is sounded and swords flash; beside him stands a merchant’s son as trusted aide, signaling a swift pursuit.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (prince)
• Vaiśya-putra (merchant’s son)
• Khaḍga (sword)
• Śaṅkha (conch)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through readiness and right alliances; resolve (vijigīṣā) is framed as a prince’s duty to restore order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes martial preparation.