Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

भीप्मद्रोणकृपद्रौणिकर्णदुर्योधनादिभिः । गुप्तां त्र्यंबकदुर्जेयां सेनां हंसि कथं क्षणात्

Transliteration

bhīpmadroṇakṛpadrauṇikarṇaduryodhanādibhiḥ | guptāṃ tryaṃbakadurjeyāṃ senāṃ haṃsi kathaṃ kṣaṇāt

Translation

此军由毗湿摩、德罗那、克利帕、德劳尼、迦尔纳、都利约陀那等守护——连三眼主特里扬巴迦（湿婆）都称其难以攻破——你怎能在刹那间将其歼灭？

Word by Word

• bhīṣma-droṇa-kṛpa-drauṇi-karṇa-duryodhana-ādibhiḥ: by Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa, Drauṇi, Karṇa, Duryodhana and others
• bhīṣma-droṇa-kṛpa-drauṇi-karṇa-duryodhana-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīṣma + droṇa + kṛpa + drauṇi + karṇa + duryodhana + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः, अन्ते ‘आदि’ इति समाहार/समुच्चयार्थः; ‘-भिः’ इति तृतीया-बहुवचनप्रत्ययः (Instrumental plural)

• guptām: protected/guarded
• guptām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gup (गुप्, रक्षणे) → gupta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम् (Accusative singular feminine)

• tryaṃbaka-durjeyām: invincible even to Tryambaka
• tryaṃbaka-durjeyām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tryaṃbaka + durjeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (tryaṃbakena durjeyā = invincible even to Tryambaka/Śiva); विशेषणम् (Accusative singular feminine)

• senām: army
• senām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• haṃsi: you slay/destroy
• haṃsi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (हन्, हिंसागत्योः)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present indicative, 2nd person singular)

• katham: how?
• katham: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• kṣaṇāt: in a moment / instantly
• kṣaṇāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन (Ablative singular: ‘from/in a moment’)

Speaker

Narrative interlocutor (context: questioning voice within the assembly)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhīma’s son (Bhīmasuta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council-like moment: speakers gesture toward a vast Kaurava host behind standards; the named heroes appear as iconic silhouettes—Bhīṣma with bow, Droṇa with staff/bow, Karṇa radiant, Duryodhana armored—while the questioner’s face shows incredulity at the claim of instant destruction.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa
• Kṛpa
• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• Karṇa
• Duryodhana
• Tryambaka (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly strength appears invincible, yet dharma and divine will can overturn even the mightiest protections.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is praised; the verse emphasizes Śiva’s epithet (Tryambaka) to heighten the sense of invincibility.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.