Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

ततः पराङ्मुखो भूत्वा पलायनपरायणः । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन पुरी यत्रामरावती

Transliteration

tataḥ parāṅmukho bhūtvā palāyanaparāyaṇaḥ | abhidudrāva vegena purī yatrāmarāvatī

Translation

Dann wandte er sich ab, einzig auf Flucht bedacht, und lief in großer Eile zur Stadt, wo Amarāvatī liegt.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of sequence)

• पराङ्मुखः: turned away
• पराङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāṅmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• पलायनपरायणः: intent on fleeing
• पलायनपरायणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: palāyana-parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक); palāyana (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (one devoted to fleeing)

• अभिदुद्राव: ran toward/rushed
• अभिदुद्राव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-dru (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• पुरीम्: to the city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-बोधक अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• अमरावती: Amarāvatī
• अमरावती: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amarāvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; पुरी-विशेषण/नाम

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya context; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amarāvatī (deva-purī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Airāvata, panicked and turning away from the attacker, flees at speed toward the distant gleam of Amarāvatī; Indra clings on, devas scatter, and the horizon suggests a celestial city.

Characters & Entities

• Amarāvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fear and pride collapse into flight; dharma teaches steadiness (dhairya) and accountability rather than escapism.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Amarāvatī is referenced as a divine city; the verse does not praise a terrestrial tīrtha directly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates a turn in the battle.