Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अथवमन्य तान्देवः प्रहारं लीलया ददौ । यत्रास्ते दानवेन्द्रोऽसौ चतुर्भिः सचिवैः सह

Transliteration

athavamanya tāndevaḥ prahāraṃ līlayā dadau | yatrāste dānavendro'sau caturbhiḥ sacivaiḥ saha

Translation

Da schenkte der Herr, sie missachtend, einen Schlag mit spielender Leichtigkeit und schritt voran zu dem Ort, wo jener König der Dānavas mit seinen vier Ministern stand.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक

• अवमन्य: having disregarded
• अवमन्य: Kriya-viseshana (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + मन् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (converb): 'having despised/disregarded'

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रहारम्: a blow/strike
• प्रहारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• लीलया: playfully, with ease
• लीलया: Karana (Manner/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave/delivered
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक/स्थानवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• आस्ते: was seated/remained
• आस्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दानवेन्द्रः: the lord of the demons
• दानवेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दानवानाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; दूरवाचक सर्वनाम

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Visheshana (Numeral modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (सचिवैः)

• सचिवैः: with ministers/attendants
• सचिवैः: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with; accompaniment marker)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Lord ignores the surrounding attackers and, as if in play, delivers a decisive blow while moving straight toward the dānava-king stationed with four ministers—calm center amid chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Lord)
• Dānava-inda (demon-king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s power is effortless (līlā); protection of dharma does not require strain, only divine will.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Tīrthamāhātmya context indicates a sacred region defended by the Lord; the exact tīrtha is not named in this isolated verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse continues the battle narrative.