Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रमथैर्भीमविक्रांतैः क्रांतं मृत्युप्रमाथिभिः । सूदितान्पतितांश्चैव द्राविडैरिव चंदनान्

Transliteration

pramathairbhīmavikrāṃtaiḥ krāṃtaṃ mṛtyupramāthibhiḥ | sūditānpatitāṃścaiva drāviḍairiva caṃdanān

Translation

ہولناک قوت والے پرمَتھوں نے—جو موت کو بھی کچل دینے والے ہیں—میدانِ جنگ کو گھیر لیا؛ اور دَیتیہ مارے گئے اور گرے پڑے تھے، جیسے دراوڑیوں کے کاٹے ہوئے چندن کے درخت۔

Word by Word

• प्रमथैः: by the Pramathas (attendants)
• प्रमथैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• भीम-विक्रान्तैः: by the terribly valiant (ones)
• भीम-विक्रान्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रान्त (कृदन्त; √क्रम् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; विशेषण (qualifying प्रमथैः)

• क्रान्तम्: overpowered, trodden down
• क्रान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रान्त (कृदन्त; √क्रम् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन — Accusative singular; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• मृत्यु-प्रमाथिभिः: by (those) who crush death
• मृत्यु-प्रमाथिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; विशेषण (qualifying प्रमथैः)

• सूदितान्: crushed, pounded
• सूदितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूदित (कृदन्त; √सूद् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural; विशेषण (qualifying चन्दनान्)

• पतितान्: fallen
• पतितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त; √पत् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural; विशेषण (qualifying चन्दनान्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis)

• द्राविडैः: by Dravidians (southerners)
• द्राविडैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्राविड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• चन्दनान्: sandalwood (pieces/trees)
• चन्दनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration typically Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A churned battlefield: fearsome Pramathas surge forward like a storm, while Daityas lie scattered, bodies and banners fallen like freshly cut sandalwood trunks; dust and weapon-flash fill the air.

Characters & Entities

• Pramatha
• Daitya
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected by Śiva’s forces; arrogance that opposes the divine order ends in ruin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśīkhaṇḍa context glorifies Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), though this verse itself is a battle-description without a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is primarily narrative.