Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

भक्ष्यमाणं तदा सैन्यं विलोक्य सुरराट्स्वयम् । विहाय नंदिनं पश्चाद्वीरभद्रं समाक्षिपत्

Transliteration

bhakṣyamāṇaṃ tadā sainyaṃ vilokya surarāṭsvayam | vihāya naṃdinaṃ paścādvīrabhadraṃ samākṣipat

Translation

ครั้นท้าวสักกะจอมเทพเห็นกองทัพของตนถูกกลืนกิน ก็ผินจากนันทิน แล้วพุ่งเข้าประจัญบานวีรภัทรโดยพลัน

Word by Word

• भक्ष्यमाणम्: being devoured/eaten
• भक्ष्यमाणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) - विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) + य (प्रत्यय) ; भक्ष्यमाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (लट्-समकालिक) वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with सैन्यम्)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विलोक्य: having seen
• विलोक्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• सुरराट्: king of the gods (Indra)
• सुरराट्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां राट्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः (emphatic indeclinable)

• विहाय: having left/abandoned
• विहाय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + हा (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• नन्दिनम्: Nandin
• नन्दिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• वीरभद्रम्: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समाक्षिपत्: he hurled/struck (at)
• समाक्षिपत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, seeing his forces being consumed, pivots away from Nandin and hurls himself toward Vīrabhadra; the battlefield is crowded with devas, gaṇas, and terrified beings.

Characters & Entities

• Surarāṭ (Indra)
• Nandin
• Vīrabhadra
• Deva army

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When pride and fear arise, even rulers shift targets; the Purāṇic message warns against ego and urges surrender to higher dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedārakhaṇḍa) forms the setting; this verse is a narrative episode within that sacred frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.