Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं तेषां देवानां बलवृत्रहा । चिन्तयामास मनसा तपोविघ्नायचादिशत्

Transliteration

śrutvā tadvacanaṃ teṣāṃ devānāṃ balavṛtrahā | cintayāmāsa manasā tapovighnāyacādiśat

Translation

فلما سمع قاتلُ فِرِترا القويّ (إندرا) كلامَ الآلهة، تفكّر في قلبه ثم أصدر أوامرَ لتعويق تلك التَّقشّفات والزُّهد.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier of main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: श्रु, अर्थे: श्रवण (having heard)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• बलवृत्रहा: the mighty slayer of Vṛtra (Indra)
• बलवृत्रहा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + वृत्रहन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बलस्य वृत्रहा = slayer of Vṛtra by strength)

• चिन्तयामास: he pondered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मनसा: with (his) mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तपोविघ्नाय: for obstructing the austerity
• तपोविघ्नाय: Sampradana (Purpose/recipient; dative of purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसः विघ्नः = obstacle to austerity)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आदिशत्: he commanded/ordered
• आदिशत्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, seated in Amarāvatī’s court, hears the gods’ alarm and broods; his face shows calculation as he issues a command to hinder a great tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Vṛtra
• Devas
• Tapas (austerity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Great spiritual power attracts trials and opposition; such ‘vighnas’ are recurring Purāṇic motifs around tapas and destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is the narrative setup preceding the dispatch of agents (apsarās, etc.).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes Indra’s command to create obstacles to austerity.