Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

नाथः श्मशानस्यावन्त्या विघ्नकृन्निहतोऽभवत् । तं निहत्य पुनर्वीरो बर्बरीकः स्थितोऽभवत्

Transliteration

nāthaḥ śmaśānasyāvantyā vighnakṛnnihato'bhavat | taṃ nihatya punarvīro barbarīkaḥ sthito'bhavat

Translation

Der Herr des Verbrennungsplatzes von Avanti, der Hindernisse stiftete, wurde erschlagen. Nachdem er ihn getötet hatte, stand der Held Barbarīka wieder da, fest und unerschütterlich.

Word by Word

• nāthaḥ: lord/master
• nāthaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• śmaśānasya: of the cremation-ground
• śmaśānasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śmaśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• āvantyāḥ: of Avantī (Ujjayinī)
• āvantyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avantī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• vighna-kṛt: maker of obstacles
• vighna-kṛt: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vighna (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त) ‘कृत्’ (कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vighnasya kartā)

• nihataḥ: slain
• nihataḥ: Karma (Object/patient/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-han (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• abhavat: became/was
• abhavat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• nihatya: having killed
• nihatya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni-han (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), ‘having slain’

• punar: again
• punar: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

• vīraḥ: hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• barbarīkaḥ: Barbarīka
• barbarīkaḥ: Karta (Apposition to subject/कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: barbarīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sthitaḥ: stood/was stationed
• sthitaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective to subject/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• abhavat: became/was
• abhavat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avantī-śmaśāna (Ujjayinī sacred cremation-ground precinct)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Avanti’s cremation-ground, a fierce guardian-lord who creates obstacles lies slain; Barbarīka stands immovable amid ash, skulls, and smoldering pyres under a dark sky.

Characters & Entities

• Avanti
• Barbarīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma prevails when obstacles (vighna) are confronted and removed; heroic action restores sacred order in revered places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avanti (the Ujjayinī/Ujjain sacred region) is invoked, specifically its śmaśāna setting, a potent Śaiva sacred geography motif.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.