Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

क्षोणी रथो विधिर्यंता शरोऽहं मन्दरो धनुः । रथांगे चापि चंद्रार्कौ युद्धे यस्य च त्रैपुरे

Transliteration

kṣoṇī ratho vidhiryaṃtā śaro'haṃ mandaro dhanuḥ | rathāṃge cāpi caṃdrārkau yuddhe yasya ca traipure

Translation

ในการศึกกับตริปุระ: แผ่นดินเป็นราชรถของพระองค์ พระพรหมเป็นสารถี ข้าพเจ้า (พระวิษณุ) เป็นศรของพระองค์ เขามันทราเป็นคันธนู และจันทร์กับอาทิตย์เป็นล้อรถศึกของพระองค์

Word by Word

• क्षोणी: the earth
• क्षोणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षोणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रथः: the chariot
• रथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधिः: Brahmā / the Ordainer
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यन्ता: the charioteer / controller
• यन्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शरः: the arrow
• शरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्दरः: Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धनुः: the bow
• धनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रथ-अङ्गे: on the chariot-part (wheel)
• रथ-अङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रथस्य अङ्गे)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle)

• चन्द्रार्कौ: the moon and the sun
• चन्द्रार्कौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (चन्द्रः च अर्कः च)

• युद्धे: in the battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• त्रैपुरे: in the Tripura (battle)
• त्रैपुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (युद्धे)

Speaker

Viṣṇu (first-person 'aham' indicates Viṣṇu speaking within the narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tripurāntaka (mythic event-site rather than a single fixed tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tripurāntaka tableau: Śiva stands poised with Mandara as bow, Viṣṇu as the blazing arrow, Earth as chariot, Brahmā as charioteer, Sun and Moon as wheels, the triple cities in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied as the warrior)
• Tripura
• Brahmā (Vidhi)
• Viṣṇu
• Mandara
• Candra
• Sūrya
• Earth (Kṣoṇī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All cosmic powers—devas, planets, mountains, and even Viṣṇu—serve the Supreme purpose when Śiva acts for dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse glorifies the Tripura-dahana episode central to Śaiva theology.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a mythic-theological praise describing Śiva’s supremacy in the Tripura battle.