Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अन्येपि कपयो वीरा राक्षसैर्द्वंद्वमेत्य तु । चक्रुर्युद्धं सुतुमुलं भीरूणां भयवर्द्धनम्

Transliteration

anyepi kapayo vīrā rākṣasairdvaṃdvametya tu | cakruryuddhaṃ sutumulaṃ bhīrūṇāṃ bhayavarddhanam

Translation

เหล่าวานรผู้กล้าอื่น ๆ ก็เข้าประจันกับพวกรากษสในการดวลเดี่ยว แล้วก่อศึกอันอึกทึกดุเดือดยิ่ง เป็นเหตุเพิ่มความหวาดหวั่นแก่ผู้ขลาด

Word by Word

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Karta (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘kapayaḥ’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also)

• कपयः: monkeys
• कपयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वीराः: brave
• वीराः: Karta (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of ‘kapayaḥ’)

• राक्षसैः: with/against the rākṣasas
• राक्षसैः: Sahakari/Karaṇa (opponent; ‘with the rākṣasas’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• द्वन्द्वम्: a duel
• द्वन्द्वम्: Karma (object of ‘etya’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• एत्य: having approached
• एत्य: Purvakala-kriya (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having gone/approached’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• चक्रुः: did/made
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुतुमुलम्: very tumultuous
• सुतुमुलम्: Karma (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तुमुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of ‘yuddham’)

• भीरूणाम्: of the fearful/cowards
• भीरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे बहुधा), षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• भयवर्द्धनम्: fear-increasing (thing)
• भयवर्द्धनम्: Karma (apposition to ‘yuddham’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘भयस्य वर्द्धनम्’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide chaotic melee: vānara heroes leaping, uprooting trees as weapons, rākṣasas countering with spears; dust clouds, broken chariots, and frightened figures retreating at the edges to show ‘fear of the cowardly’.

Characters & Entities

• Vānara warriors
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Valor rooted in dharma dispels fear; cowardice grows where righteousness and discipline are absent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setubandha/Rāmeśvaram is the Setukhaṇḍa focus, though this verse is a general battle description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.