Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

देववैरिविनाशाय धर्मसंरक्षणाय च । तेनेदं शासनं दत्तमविनाशात्मकं सुत

Transliteration

devavairivināśāya dharmasaṃrakṣaṇāya ca | tenedaṃ śāsanaṃ dattamavināśātmakaṃ suta

Translation

Zur Vernichtung der Feinde der Götter und zum Schutz des Dharma wurde diese Weisung gegeben—unvergänglich ihrem Wesen nach, mein Sohn.

Word by Word

• देववैरिविनाशाय: for the destruction of the gods’ enemies
• देववैरिविनाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + वैरि + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष—‘देवानां वैरिणां विनाशाय’ (for the destruction of enemies of the gods)

• धर्मसंरक्षणाय: for the protection of dharma
• धर्मसंरक्षणाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + संरक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘धर्मस्य संरक्षणाय’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• तेन: by him/therefore
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शासनम्: command/ordinance
• शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Kriya (Resultative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — कर्मणि/निष्पन्नार्थे ‘given’

• अविनाशात्मकम्: imperishable in nature
• अविनाशात्मकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविनाश + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘अविनाशस्य आत्मा/स्वभावः यस्य’ = ‘of imperishable nature’

• सुत: O son
• सुत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: suta (addressed as ‘my son’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal-edict motif: a divine figure (Viṣṇu/avatāra) bestows a shining ‘śāsana’ (inscribed decree or teaching) to a disciple/son, while shadowy asuric forces recede; dharma stands protected.

Characters & Entities

• Devas (gods)
• Dharma
• Śāsana (edict/charter)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True authority is dharma-centered: power is justified when it protects dharma and restrains forces hostile to divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, as the narrative locus where the ‘imperishable’ edict is remembered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it states the dharmic intent behind issuing the śāsana.