Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अहं हि महिषो नाम दानवेन्द्रो यदि श्रुतः । मया येन सहस्राक्षो द्वन्द्वयुद्धे विनिर्जितः

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi mahiṣo nāma dānavendro yadi śrutaḥ | mayā yena sahasrākṣo dvandvayuddhe vinirjitaḥ

Translation

‘আমি দানবদের অধিপতি মহিষ নামে প্রসিদ্ধ, যদি তুমি শুনে থাকো; আমিই সেই, যে সহস্রাক্ষ ইন্দ্রকে দ্বন্দ্বযুদ্ধে পরাজিত করেছি।’

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• महिषः: Mahiṣa (name)
• महिषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Avyaya (Appositive marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात (as/namely)

• दानवेन्द्रः: lord of the demons
• दानवेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; दानव + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दानवानाम् इन्द्रः)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Avyaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-प्रदर्शक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• श्रुतः: heard/known
• श्रुतः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• येन: by whom/whereby
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• सहस्राक्षः: the thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र + अक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य)

• द्वन्द्वयुद्धे: in single combat
• द्वन्द्वयुद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वन्द्व-युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व + युद्ध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (द्वन्द्वं युद्धम्)

• विनिर्जितः: defeated
• विनिर्जितः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नि-√जि (धातु) → विनिर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Mahiṣa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The dānava Mahiṣa declares himself with a warrior’s stance, pointing to his weapons; a faint vignette shows Indra defeated in duel; the maiden stands unwavering, radiance contrasting his dark grandeur.

Characters & Entities

• Mahiṣa
• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• Dānavas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Boasting of power is a hallmark of asuric pride; Purāṇas contrast such arrogance with the Devī’s divinely grounded strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of a larger tīrtha-glorifying section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is self-identification within the narrative.