Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स्वर्णवर्णांचिते यद्वन्नगे दावाग्निसंवृते । आरुह्यजौ निमिर्दैत्यो हरिं प्रत्युद्ययौ बली

Transliteration

svarṇavarṇāṃcite yadvannage dāvāgnisaṃvṛte | āruhyajau nimirdaityo hariṃ pratyudyayau balī

Translation

Wie ein waldumhüllter Berg, golden schimmernd und von einem Waldbrand umringt, bestieg der mächtige Daitya Nimi (sein Reittier) und stürmte gegen Hari an.

Word by Word

• स्वर्णवर्णांचिते: adorned with golden color
• स्वर्णवर्णांचिते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण + वर्ण + अञ्चित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• यद्वत्: as/like
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (Comparative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमानवाचक-निपातः (indeclinable of comparison: as/like)

• नगे: on the mountain
• नगे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative singular masculine)

• दावाग्निसंवृते: enveloped by forest-fire
• दावाग्निसंवृते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दावाग्नि + संवृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund); पूर्वकालः (having mounted)

• अजौ: a goat/ram
• अजौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine)

• निमिः: Nimi
• निमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (nominative singular masculine)

• दैत्यः: the demon
• दैत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; निमेः विशेषणम्/अप्पोजिशन् (nominative singular masculine)

• हरिम्: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine)

• प्रति: towards/against
• प्रति: Sambandha (Directional particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद-निपातः (towards/against)

• उद्ययौ: advanced/set out
• उद्ययौ: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (he set out/advanced)

• बली: mighty
• बली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (nominative singular masculine)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing context from 20.1)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Daitya Nimi, radiant like a golden mountain wrapped in wildfire, mounts his beast and rushes toward Hari; flames and heat shimmer form a halo-like yet destructive aura around him.

Characters & Entities

• Nimi (Daitya)
• Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa contrasts blazing, destructive force with the sustaining presence of Hari—reminding that aggression cannot overturn divine protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this is a combat episode, not a site-glorification verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.