Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

ततो राक्षसवेषोऽयं दुर्दमो भैरवाकृतिः । भक्षयन्प्राणिनः सर्वान्देशाद्देशं वनाद्वनम्

Transliteration

tato rākṣasaveṣo'yaṃ durdamo bhairavākṛtiḥ | bhakṣayanprāṇinaḥ sarvāndeśāddeśaṃ vanādvanam

Translation

Daraufhin trug Durdama die Gestalt eines Rākṣasa, von schrecklicher, Bhairava-gleicher Erscheinung; er verschlang alle Lebewesen und streifte von Land zu Land, von Wald zu Wald.

Word by Word

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse/temporal marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb: ‘thereupon/from that’)

• राक्षस-वेषः: (having) a demon’s guise
• राक्षस-वेषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘demon-disguise’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• दुर्दमः: Durdama
• दुर्दमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• भैरव-आकृतिः: of a dreadful form
• भैरव-आकृतिः: Karta (Predicate/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘terrifying form’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (predicate nominative)

• भक्षयन्: devouring
• भक्षयन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (agreeing with दुर्दमः)

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd); बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (agreeing with प्राणिनः)

• देशात्: from (one) place
• देशात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (Ablative, 5th); एकवचन

• देशम्: to (another) place
• देशम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd); एकवचन (goal)

• वनात्: from (one) forest
• वनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी; एकवचन

• वनम्: to (another) forest
• वनम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (goal)

Speaker

Śrī Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Durdama, fully rākṣasa and Bhairava-like, strides through dense forests and across varied lands, leaving panic and devastation; silhouettes of fleeing creatures and broken trees mark his path.

Characters & Entities

• Durdama
• Bhairava (as simile/descriptor)
• Prāṇinaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is eclipsed, violence spreads without restraint; such disorder in Purāṇic storytelling sets the stage for divine correction and protection of the righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues the Setukhaṇḍa arc that earlier points toward Cakratīrtha as the turning point.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.