Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

भर्तृयज्ञौवाच । बृहत्कल्पे पुरा राजन्हिरण्याक्षो महासुरः । बभूव बलवाञ्छूरः सर्वदेवभयंकरः

Transliteration

bhartṛyajñauvāca | bṛhatkalpe purā rājanhiraṇyākṣo mahāsuraḥ | babhūva balavāñchūraḥ sarvadevabhayaṃkaraḥ

Translation

ভৰ্তৃযজ্ঞ ক’লে: হে ৰাজন, প্ৰাচীন বৃহৎকল্পত মহাসুৰ হিৰণ্যাক্ষ ব’লবান আৰু শূৰ আছিল; সি সকলো দেৱতাৰ বাবে ভয়ংকৰ আতংকস্বৰূপ আছিল।

Word by Word

• भर्तृयज्ञौवाच: Bhartṛyajña said
• भर्तृयज्ञौवाच: Kriya (Speech/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भर्तृयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd sg); कर्ता-नाम-समासयुक्त-उक्तिः (speaker tag: 'Bhartṛyajña said')

• बृहत्कल्पे: in the great kalpa
• बृहत्कल्पे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहत् + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (loc sg)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (voc sg)

• हिरण्याक्षः: Hiraṇyākṣa
• हिरण्याक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (nom sg)

• महासुरः: a great demon
• महासुरः: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (nom sg)

• बभूव: became/was
• बभूव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd sg)

• बलवान्: strong
• बलवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (nom sg); विशेषणम् (strong)

• शूरः: a hero/valiant one
• शूरः: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (nom sg)

• सर्वदेवभयंकरः: terrifying to all the gods
• सर्वदेवभयंकरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + देव + भय + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहु-षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: 'सर्वेषां देवानां भयङ्करः' (fear-causing to all gods)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast primeval court-like scene: the mighty Hiraṇyākṣa stands armored and radiant with asuric splendor; devas in the distance appear anxious; the narration evokes an ancient kalpa backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Bhartṛyajña
• Hiraṇyākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇas ground ritual rules in sacred history, linking dharma-practice to cosmic events and moral archetypes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it begins a mythic account within the Tīrthamāhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse introduces the narrative context for later ritual prescriptions.