Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

आसीद्बलाहकोनाम रुद्रभक्तो महाबलः । आखेटकसमायुक्तो नृपः परपुरंजयः

Transliteration

āsīdbalāhakonāma rudrabhakto mahābalaḥ | ākheṭakasamāyukto nṛpaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ

Translation

Es gab einen König namens Balāhaka, Rudra ergeben und von großer Kraft; dem Jagen zugetan, war er ein Bezwinger feindlicher Städte.

Word by Word

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Existence/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बलाहकः: Balāhaka (name)
• बलाहकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (नामनिर्देशक particle: ‘by name’)

• रुद्रभक्तः: a devotee of Rudra
• रुद्रभक्तः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रुद्रस्य भक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (बलाहकः)

• महाबलः: very strong; mighty
• महाबलः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महद् बलम् यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (बलाहकः)

• आखेटकसमायुक्तः: engaged in hunting
• आखेटकसमायुक्तः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आखेटक (प्रातिपदिक) + समायुक्त (प्रातिपदिक/क्तान्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आखेटकेन समायुक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (नृपः)

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• परपुरंजयः: conqueror of enemy cities
• परपुरंजयः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (परस्य पुरस्य जयः/जयी); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (नृपः)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration; speaker not re-stated in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Govatsa-tīrtha (narrative vicinity)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A strong king Balāhaka, armed with bow and accompanied by hunters, moves through a forest near the sacred ford; despite martial vigor, signs of Rudra-bhakti appear—tripuṇḍra, rudrākṣa, or a small liṅga emblem—foreshadowing a devotional turn.

Characters & Entities

• Balāhaka
• Rudra
• King (Nṛpa)
• Hunting (Ākheṭaka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrtha-legends often begin with worldly power and action, then turn toward revelation—showing how devotion can redirect a ruler’s life.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Govatsa-tīrtha narrative sequence within Dharmāraṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse introduces the main human protagonist whose actions lead into the tīrtha’s māhātmya.