Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

वरदानबलेनैव स देवं हन्तुमर्हति । ईदृशं चेष्टितं ज्ञात्वा नीतो देवोऽमरैः सह

Transliteration

varadānabalenaiva sa devaṃ hantumarhati | īdṛśaṃ ceṣṭitaṃ jñātvā nīto devo'maraiḥ saha

Translation

„Allein durch die Kraft dieser Gabe vermag er sogar einen Gott zu töten. Als man ein solches Vorhaben erkannte, wurde der Deva dorthin gebracht, zusammen mit den Unsterblichen.“

Word by Word

• वरदानबलेन: by the power of the boon
• वरदानबलेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + दान + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वरदानस्य बलम् / वरदानबलम्)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• अर्हति: is able/fit (to)
• अर्हति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ईदृशम्: such, of this kind
• ईदृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (of चेष्टितम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चेष्टितम्: deed, act, conduct
• चेष्टितम्: Karma (Object of ज्ञात्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from चेष्ट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• नीतः: was led
• नीतः: Kriya (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject of passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अमरैः: by the immortals (gods)
• अमरैः: Karana/Karta (Agent in passive/करण-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (postposition: with)

Speaker

Nārada (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada describes the boon’s terrifying efficacy: the Dānava can kill even a god. The immortals, alarmed, escort the Deva to confront the situation—procession-like movement with urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Devas (Amaras)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked power gained through boons can threaten cosmic order, prompting the gods to seek rightful protection and remedy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa frame implies the Narmadā sacred landscape, but this verse is narrative and does not specify a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes the potency of a boon and the gods’ response to danger.