Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

अक्षय्यमेतत्संग्रामे प्रथमं ते प्रमुंचतः । शत्रूणां स्थानकं मृत्योर्देहं ध्वस्तं करिष्यति

Transliteration

akṣayyametatsaṃgrāme prathamaṃ te pramuṃcataḥ | śatrūṇāṃ sthānakaṃ mṛtyordehaṃ dhvastaṃ kariṣyati

Translation

此物于战阵之中无有穷尽。你若先行放出，它将摧碎敌军堡垒，甚至令死神之身亦破碎。

Word by Word

• अक्षय्यम्: imperishable, inexhaustible
• अक्षय्यम्: Karma/Viśeṣaṇa (Object/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc sg; agreeing with एतत्/तत् implied)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Pronoun, Neuter Nom/Acc sg)

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन (Masculine, Locative singular)

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (Acc sg used adverbially: first)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-एकवचन (Dative/Genitive singular: to you/your)

• प्रमुंचतः: (you two) release
• प्रमुंचतः: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद (2nd person dual: you two release/let go)

• शत्रूणाम्: of enemies
• शत्रूणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive plural)

• स्थानकम्: abode/seat
• स्थानकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative singular)

• मृत्योः: of death
• मृत्योः: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive singular)

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative singular)

• ध्वस्तम्: destroyed
• ध्वस्तम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वंस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Masculine Acc sg; agreeing with देहम्)

• करिष्यति: will make
• करिष्यति: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person sg: will make)

Speaker

Vijaya (instructing Barbarīka about its use in battle)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A warrior receives an inexhaustible, first-released power that collapses enemy fortifications; Death personified recoils, its form shattered—an allegory of fearlessness granted by consecrated might.

Characters & Entities

• Barbarīka
• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Śatrus (enemies)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine aid, when applied rightly and at the proper time, removes even the fear of death and ensures victory aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is named; the verse concerns a battle-boon/aid within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical instruction: in battle, ‘release/use it first’ (prathamaṃ pramuñcataḥ) for decisive effect.