Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अमून्षड्वैरिणो जित्वा सर्वत्र विजयी भवेत् । शनैः संचिनुयाद्धर्मं वल्मीकं शृंगवान्यथा

Transliteration

amūnṣaḍvairiṇo jitvā sarvatra vijayī bhavet | śanaiḥ saṃcinuyāddharmaṃ valmīkaṃ śṛṃgavānyathā

Translation

既已战胜此六大仇敌，便能处处得胜。应当渐渐积聚法(dharma)，如白蚁丘一粒一粒堆起而成。

Word by Word

• अमून्: those
• अमून्: Visheshya-Karma (Object qualified/कर्मविशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षड्वैरिणः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्/षट् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण, अव्ययवत् (indeclinable numeral), षड्वैरिणः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वैरिणः: enemies
• वैरिणः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• जित्वा: having conquered
• जित्वा: Kriya-Visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• विजयी: victorious
• विजयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शनैः: gradually
• शनैः: Kriya-Visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner: gradually)

• संचिनुयात्: should accumulate
• संचिनुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• धर्मम्: dharma/merit
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वल्मीकम्: an anthill
• वल्मीकम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्मीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान (simile target)

• शृंगवान्: a horned (creature)
• शृंगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृंगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपमेय-कर्तृ (simile subject)

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानसूचक अव्यय (comparative particle: as/like)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa narrative voice; traditionally framed within Sūta’s discourse in Purāṇic setting)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A practitioner walking a path with six defeated adversaries behind; foreground shows a termite mound forming from tiny grains carried by ants—symbolizing slow dharma accumulation.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True victory is inner victory; dharma is built steadily through consistent practice rather than sudden effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is named; the teaching supports the ethos of pilgrimage by emphasizing inner purification alongside travel.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is specified; the prescription is sustained sādhana—gradual accumulation of merit through disciplined living.