Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततश्चक्रे महायुद्धं तलेनातिभयंकरम् । जघान स तलं दैत्यं मुष्टिघातेन मस्तके

Transliteration

tataścakre mahāyuddhaṃ talenātibhayaṃkaram | jaghāna sa talaṃ daityaṃ muṣṭighātena mastake

Translation

แล้วจึงบังเกิดมหายุทธอันน่าสะพรึงยิ่งกับตละ พระองค์ทรงชกด้วยกำปั้นลงบนเศียรของอสูรตละ และทรงปราบดานวะตละให้พินาศ

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमवाचक

• चक्रे: made; performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्

• महा-युद्धम्: a great battle
• महा-युद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महद् युद्धम्)

• तलेन: with the palm/hand
• तलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• अति-भयंकरम्: extremely terrifying
• अति-भयंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भयंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावः (अत्यन्तं भयंकरम्) — ‘महा-युद्धम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• जघान: struck; slew
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• तलम्: Tala (the demon named Tala)
• तलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• दैत्यम्: the demon
• दैत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘तलम्’ इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्

• मुष्टि-घातेन: by a blow of the fist
• मुष्टि-घातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (मुष्ट्या घातः)

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce close-quarters combat: the deity confronts the daitya Tala; with a powerful fist-blow to the demon’s head, the demon reels as dust and shockwaves rise around them.

Characters & Entities

• Tala (Daitya)
• Viṣṇu (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection manifests decisively: adharma, even when terrifying, is subdued by the Lord’s power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the broader sacred setting of this māhātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it is a narrative of dharmic combat.