Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

दानवेंद्रैर्नवांभोदसच्छायैः सर्वथोत्कटैः । यथा हि पुरुषं घोरैरभाग्यैरर्थकांक्षिभिः

Transliteration

dānaveṃdrairnavāṃbhodasacchāyaiḥ sarvathotkaṭaiḥ | yathā hi puruṣaṃ ghorairabhāgyairarthakāṃkṣibhiḥ

Translation

Von den Herren der Dānavas—dunkel wie frische Regenwolken und in allem grimmig—wurde Indra hart bedrängt, wie ein Mensch von schrecklichen Unglücken überfallen wird, die nach seinem Besitz gieren.

Word by Word

• दानवेन्द्रैः: by the lords of the Dānavas
• दानवेन्द्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानवेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) = दानव + इन्द्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन; तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• नव-अम्भोद-सत्-छायैः: having the fresh cloud-like true shadow/complexion
• नव-अम्भोद-सत्-छायैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भोद (प्रातिपदिक) + सत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective qualifying दानवेन्द्रैः)

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• उत्कटैः: fierce, formidable
• उत्कटैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective qualifying दानवेन्द्रैः)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/उदाहरणार्थे (comparative particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• पुरुषम्: a man
• पुरुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective qualifying अभाग्यैः/अर्थकाङ्क्षिभिः)

• अभाग्यैः: by misfortunes
• अभाग्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• अर्थ-काङ्क्षिभिः: by those desiring gain/wealth
• अर्थ-काङ्क्षिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural; ‘desiring wealth’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mass of towering Dānava kings, cloud-dark and ferocious, press upon the devas; the atmosphere is stormy, heavy, and oppressive, visually echoing ‘misfortune’ as a living assailant.

Characters & Entities

• Dānavas
• Dānava-indras (Daitya/Dānava leaders)
• Indra (implied context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma advances like misfortune driven by greed; spiritual steadiness and divine refuge are the antidote.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse uses a moral simile within a war narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.