Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

न विदुर्ह्यसुराः सर्वे गतान्देवांस्त्रिविष्टपात् । नानारूपधरां स्तस्मात्कश्यपस्याश्रयं प्रति

Transliteration

na vidurhyasurāḥ sarve gatāndevāṃstriviṣṭapāt | nānārūpadharāṃ stasmātkaśyapasyāśrayaṃ prati

Translation

Alle Asuras wussten nicht, dass die Götter Triviṣṭapa (den Himmel) verlassen hatten. Darum nahmen die Götter vielerlei Gestalten an und begaben sich in den Schutz Kaśyapas.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• विदुः: knew
• विदुः: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

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

• असुराः: asuras
• असुराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• गतान्: gone
• गतान्: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृत-प्रत्यय: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘gone’

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (object of knowing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• त्रिविष्टपात्: from Triviṣṭapa (heaven)
• त्रिविष्टपात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिविष्टप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (स्थानवाचक), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• नाना-रूप-धरान्: assuming many forms
• नाना-रूप-धरान्: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘various-forms-bearing’ (बहुरूपधारी)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति पञ्चमी-रूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभाव (therefore/from that)

• कश्यपस्य: of Kaśyapa
• कश्यपस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• आश्रयम्: refuge/shelter
• आश्रयम्: Karma (goal/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Gati/Direction marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वसर्ग (preposition-like indeclinable)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Atri

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The gods, unseen by the Asuras, depart Svarga in varied disguises—some as ascetics, some as birds—moving toward Kaśyapa’s serene hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• Asuras
• Devas
• Triviṣṭapa (Svarga)
• Kaśyapa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma sometimes advances through prudence: when confronted by overwhelming force, the righteous may employ strategic concealment and seek counsel from the wise.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not glorify a specific earthly tīrtha; it narrates a heavenly episode within the Kedāra Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.