Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

शक्तिहस्तौ च तौ वीरौ युयुधाते परस्परम् । शक्तिभ्यां भिन्नहस्तौ तौ महासाहससंयुतौ

Transliteration

śaktihastau ca tau vīrau yuyudhāte parasparam | śaktibhyāṃ bhinnahastau tau mahāsāhasasaṃyutau

Translation

วีรบุรุษทั้งสองถือศักติ (หอก) อยู่ในมือ ต่อสู้กันเอง; ด้วยศักติทั้งหลายได้ฟาดจนมือของกันและกันแตกหัก—ทั้งคู่เปี่ยมด้วยความห้าวหาญยิ่ง

Word by Word

• शक्तिहस्तौ: having spears in hand
• शक्तिहस्तौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन — तत्पुरुषः (शक्तिः हस्ते यस्य/ययोः); विशेषणम् (qualifying 'तौ वीरौ')

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — सर्वनाम

• वीरौ: heroes
• वीरौ: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• युयुधाते: they two fight
• युयुधाते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन

• परस्परम्: each other, mutually
• परस्परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocal adverb)

• शक्तिभ्याम्: with two spears
• शक्तिभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• भिन्नहस्तौ: with hands split/disabled
• भिन्नहस्तौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (√भिद् + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् (of 'तौ')

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — सर्वनाम (पुनरुक्ति for emphasis)

• महासाहससंयुतौ: endowed with great daring
• महासाहससंयुतौ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + साहस (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (√युज् + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — तत्पुरुषः (महासाहसेन संयुतौ/महासाहसयुक्तौ); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two heroes locked in close combat, each wielding a spear; the spears strike with such force that hands are shattered—an extreme depiction of daring and endurance.

Characters & Entities

• Tāraka
• Kumāra (Skanda)
• Śakti (spear weapon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere daring and weapon-skill are not final; conflict escalates until guided by divine wisdom and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-khaṇḍa context is the sacred frame; this verse is descriptive of the duel rather than pilgrimage merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.