Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

नागायुतसमप्राणो वायुपुत्रो वृकोदरः । न स्त्रियं शरणं गच्छेद्वाङ्मात्रेण कथंचन

Transliteration

nāgāyutasamaprāṇo vāyuputro vṛkodaraḥ | na striyaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchedvāṅmātreṇa kathaṃcana

Translation

Si Vṛkodara—anak ni Vāyu, na ang lakas ay katumbas ng sampung libong elepante—ay hindi dapat, kahit sa salita lamang, humingi ng kanlungan sa isang babae.

Word by Word

• nāgāyuta-samaprāṇaḥ: having strength equal to ten-thousand elephants
• nāgāyuta-samaprāṇaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक) + ayuta (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक) + prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (nāgāyutena samaḥ prāṇaḥ yasya/समप्राणः) विशेषणम्

• vāyuputraḥ: son of Vāyu (Hanumān)
• vāyuputraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वायोः पुत्रः)

• vṛkodaraḥ: Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• vṛkodaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛka (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वृक-सदृश उदरः) उपनाम

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• striyam: a woman
• striyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गच्छेत् इत्यस्य द्वितीयकर्म (to take as refuge)

• gacchet: should go (seek)
• gacchet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• vāṅmātreṇa: by mere words
• vāṅmātreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वाचः मात्रेण = by mere words)

• kathaṃcana: in any way (at all)
• kathaṃcana: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathaṃcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb), नकारेण सह = 'कदापि न' (not at all/never)

Speaker

Bhīma (self-referential statement within dialogue)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhīma, massive and muscular, speaks emphatically about not seeking refuge; the king appears uneasy, sensing impropriety or impending consequence.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• Vāyu
• Maheśvarī (implied context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Overconfidence and rigid pride obstruct surrender; the narrative frames this attitude as spiritually risky.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is part of a character-driven episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it asserts a vow-like stance about not seeking refuge.