Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

अथादाय धनुर्घोरमिषुं चाशीविषोपमम् । कुजंभोऽधावत क्षिप्रं रक्षोदेवबलं प्रति

Transliteration

athādāya dhanurghoramiṣuṃ cāśīviṣopamam | kujaṃbho'dhāvata kṣipraṃ rakṣodevabalaṃ prati

Translation

پھر خوفناک کمان اور آشی وِش (زہریلے سانپ) کے مانند زہر آلود تیر اٹھا کر، کُجَمبھ تیزی سے راکشسوں اور دیوتاؤں کی مشترکہ فوج کی طرف لپکا۔

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Adhikaraṇa (Discourse marker/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverb): अनन्तरम् (then)

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु) + lyap (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘आदाय’ = गृहीत्वा (having taken)

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; dhanuḥ इति विशेषणम्

• iṣum: arrow
• iṣum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• āśīviṣopamam: like a venomous serpent
• āśīviṣopamam: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśīviṣa + upama (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (आशीविषस्य उपमम्); iṣum इति विशेषणम्

• kujaṃbhaḥ: Kujambha
• kujaṃbhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kujaṃbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (proper name)

• adhāvata: ran/charged
• adhāvata: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): शीघ्रम् (quickly)

• rakṣodevabalam: the forces of the Rakṣasas and the gods
• rakṣodevabalam: Karma (Goal/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas + deva + bala (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (रक्षसां च देवानां च बलम्)

• prati: towards/against
• prati: Dik/Pratiyogi (Direction/दिक्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition): प्रति = towards/against; द्वितीयासम्बन्धी

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kujambha lifts a dreadful bow; the arrow gleams like a coiled venomous serpent—dark, wet sheen, poised to strike—then he rushes forward in a blur toward the combined host.

Characters & Entities

• Kujaṃbha
• Rākṣasas
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights how wrath and aggression surge quickly in war; Purāṇic narratives often contrast such impulse with steadiness rooted in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.