Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

घातितो दुष्टदैत्योऽसौ वेदार्थं कृत उद्यमः । एवमासीन्महाविष्णुः कथमश्वमुखोऽभवत्

Transliteration

ghātito duṣṭadaityo'sau vedārthaṃ kṛta udyamaḥ | evamāsīnmahāviṣṇuḥ kathamaśvamukho'bhavat

Translation

พระองค์ทรงปราบอสูรผู้ชั่วร้าย และทรงเพียรเพื่ออรรถแห่งพระเวท ดังนี้คือมหาวิษณุ—แล้วพระองค์ทรงเป็นอัศวมุขได้อย่างไร?

Word by Word

• घातितः: was caused to be slain / was slain
• घातितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive sense)

• दुष्टदैत्यः: the wicked demon
• दुष्टदैत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुष्टः दैत्यः)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• वेदार्यम्: the meaning of the Veda
• वेदार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य अर्थम्)

• कृतः: was made / was undertaken
• कृतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः

• उद्यमः: effort, endeavor
• उद्यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• महाविष्णुः: Great Vishnu
• महाविष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् विष्णुः)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अश्वमुखः: horse-faced (one)
• अश्वमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अश्वस्य मुखं यस्य सः)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (continuing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahāviṣṇu in heroic aspect slays a wicked daitya; nearby, radiant Vedic knowledge (scrolls or light) is protected or retrieved. The verse ends with the recurring wonder-question about the horse-faced form, blending heroism with mystery.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāviṣṇu
• Duṣṭa-daitya (unnamed demon)
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power combats forces that obscure sacred knowledge, restoring the Vedic path for the world’s welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the emphasis is on the Lord’s role as protector of Vedic dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse underscores the importance of preserving Vedic meaning and dharmic practice.