Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

जवेनागत्य तं देशं मागधैरभिपूरितम् । दह्यमानं क्रंदमानं हृतस्त्रीसुतगोधनम्

Transliteration

javenāgatya taṃ deśaṃ māgadhairabhipūritam | dahyamānaṃ kraṃdamānaṃ hṛtastrīsutagodhanam

Translation

அவன் விரைந்து அந்த நாட்டை அடைந்தான்; அது மாகதப் படையால் நிரம்பி, தீப்பற்றிக் கொழுந்தெழுந்து, அழுகுரலால் முழங்கிக் கொண்டிருந்தது; அங்கே பெண்கள், பிள்ளைகள், கோமாடு-செல்வம் மற்றும் பொருள் அனைத்தும் கவரப்பட்டிருந்தன।

Word by Word

• जवेन: with speed
• जवेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया — Absolutive (having come)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• देशम्: region/country
• देशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• मागधैः: by the Magadhas
• मागधैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मागध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• अभिपूरितम्: filled/occupied
• अभिपूरितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि√पूर् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देशम्) — PPP, neuter acc. sg.

• दह्यमानम्: being burnt
• दह्यमानम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देशम्) — Present passive participle, neuter acc. sg.

• क्रन्दमानम्: wailing/crying
• क्रन्दमानम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √क्रन्द् (धातु)
• Form: कर्तरि वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देशम्) — Present active participle, neuter acc. sg.

• हृत-स्त्री-सुत-गो-धनम्: deprived of women, sons, cattle and wealth
• हृत-स्त्री-सुत-गो-धनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत (√हृ धातु, क्त) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक) + गो (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-समासभावः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देशम्) — neuter acc. sg.; ‘whose women/sons/cattle/wealth were taken away’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prince arrives at speed to a countryside overwhelmed by Magadha troops: huts and granaries aflame, smoke columns, people crying, women and children being driven away, cattle herded, carts laden with wealth; the hero’s chariot dust-cloud at the horizon.

Characters & Entities

• Māgadha (Magadha forces)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s dharma is to respond swiftly to adharma—protecting the vulnerable and restoring order when society is harmed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a dharma-centered battlefield episode within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated here; the verse emphasizes social protection rather than a vrata, dāna, snāna, or japa.