Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

प्रवर्तितं मध्यदेशे सर्वबूतक्षयावहम् । शक्रेण सह संग्रामं चकार नमुचिस्तदा

Transliteration

pravartitaṃ madhyadeśe sarvabūtakṣayāvaham | śakreṇa saha saṃgrāmaṃ cakāra namucistadā

Translation

Dann begann Namuci in der zentralen Region einen Kampf mit Śakra – einen Kampf, der Zerstörung über alle Wesen brachte.

Word by Word

• प्रवर्तितम्: set in motion; initiated
• प्रवर्तितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु) → प्रवर्तित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle (kta), neuter, nominative/accusative singular

• मध्यदेशे: in the middle region
• मध्यदेशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मध्यस्य देशः); पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; masculine, locative singular

• सर्वभूतक्षयावहम्: bringing destruction of all beings
• सर्वभूतक्षयावहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-भूत-क्षय-आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां भूतानां क्षयम् आवहति इति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter, nominative/accusative singular

• शक्रेण: with/along with Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रेण: Sahakari/Karana (Agent/Instrument/सहकारी-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; masculine, instrumental singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-सहचर्यवाचक (with/along with)

• संग्रामम्: battle
• संग्रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; masculine, accusative singular

• चकार: did; made; waged
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

• नमुचिः: Namuci (the demon)
• नमुचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast central-India plain turned into a cosmic battlefield: Namuci advancing, Indra (Śakra) confronting him, armies of Devas and Asuras, dust and ominous skies suggesting ‘sarva-bhūta-kṣaya’.

Characters & Entities

• Namuci
• Śakra
• Indra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single rivalry can endanger many; rulers and warriors must weigh consequences and protect the innocent as Dharma demands.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa provides the sacred narrative frame, but this verse centers on the Indra–Namuci combat episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual practice is prescribed in this verse.