Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

करालांतकजिह्वाभं तस्य खड्गं महोज्ज्वलम् । दृष्ट्वैव सहसा मम्रुश्च मूपास्तत्प्रभावतः

Transliteration

karālāṃtakajihvābhaṃ tasya khaḍgaṃ mahojjvalam | dṛṣṭvaiva sahasā mamruśca mūpāstatprabhāvataḥ

Translation

พระขรรค์ของเขาสุกสว่างยิ่งนัก ดุจลิ้นของมัจจุราชอันน่ากลัว เพียงได้เห็น อำนาจแห่งมันก็ทำให้บรรดาแม่ทัพล้มสิ้นลงฉับพลัน

Word by Word

• करालान्तकजिह्वाभम्: having the appearance of Death’s fearsome tongue
• करालान्तकजिह्वाभम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कराल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (कराला अन्तकस्य जिह्वा इव आभा यस्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (खड्गम्)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• खड्गम्: sword
• खड्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• महोज्ज्वलम्: very brilliant
• महोज्ज्वलम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् उज्ज्वलः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (खड्गम्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• एव: just / indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb—suddenly)

• मम्रुः: died
• मम्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय—conjunction)

• मूपाः: army-leaders / commanders
• मूपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तत्प्रभावतः: due to his/its power
• तत्प्रभावतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from/owing to its/his power’; तत्पुरुष-आधार (तस्य प्रभावः)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sword erupts with blinding radiance, its flame-like edge shaped like the tongue of Death. Commanders collapse as if life is snuffed out by the weapon’s aura; the hero stands as the still center of a lethal glow.

Characters & Entities

• Antaka (Death personified)
• Khaḍga (sword)
• Mūpa/Camūpa (commanders)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tejas (spiritual-moral force) can overwhelm adharma; righteousness carries an authority that breaks hostile intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is named; the verse uses cosmic imagery (Death’s tongue) to magnify the hero’s power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.