Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 179

Devanagari script

तार्क्ष्यविष्णू समाजघ्ने शराभ्यां तावमुह्यताम् । प्रेतनाथस्य वह्नेश्च वरुणस्य शितैः शरैः

Transliteration

tārkṣyaviṣṇū samājaghne śarābhyāṃ tāvamuhyatām | pretanāthasya vahneśca varuṇasya śitaiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

他以两箭同击多罗叉（迦楼罗）与毗湿奴，使二者皆迷惘失措；又以锋利如剃刃之矢，攻袭阎摩（众灵之主）、阿耆尼与伐楼那。

Word by Word

• तार्क्ष्यविष्णू: Tārkṣya (Garuḍa) and Viṣṇu
• तार्क्ष्यविष्णू: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (इतरेतर)

• समाजघ्ने: he struck down / smote
• समाजघ्ने: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शराभ्याम्: with two arrows
• शराभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), द्विवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• अमुह्यताम्: became bewildered
• अमुह्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

• प्रेतनाथस्य: of the lord of spirits (Yama)
• प्रेतनाथस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: 'प्रेतानां नाथः')

• वह्नेः: of Agni (fire-god)
• वह्नेः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वरुणस्य: of Varuṇa
• वरुणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• शितैः: sharp
• शितैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषण (शरैः)

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two arrows strike Garuḍa and Viṣṇu together, leaving them dazed; additional razor-sharp shafts fly toward Yama, Agni, and Varuṇa, each shown with their emblems—daṇḍa, flames, and water-pot/noose—momentarily checked.

Characters & Entities

• Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• Viṣṇu
• Yama (Pretanātha)
• Agni (Vahni)
• Varuṇa
• Daitya (Tāraka implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa shows that even great cosmic powers can be momentarily overwhelmed, underscoring the supremacy of divine mission and the eventual triumph of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse remains within the martial narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.