Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

शंकुकर्णं कृशास्यं च ऊर्ध्वकेशं भयानकम् । देवानां नाशनार्थाय मानुषाणां विशेषतः । आकृष्टं दानवेंद्रेण मंत्रैः शुक्रप्रदर्शितैः । अवध्यं सर्वशस्त्राणामस्त्राणां च विशेषतः

Transliteration

śaṃkukarṇaṃ kṛśāsyaṃ ca ūrdhvakeśaṃ bhayānakam | devānāṃ nāśanārthāya mānuṣāṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ | ākṛṣṭaṃ dānaveṃdreṇa maṃtraiḥ śukrapradarśitaiḥ | avadhyaṃ sarvaśastrāṇāmastrāṇāṃ ca viśeṣataḥ

Translation

„Es hatte ohren wie Spieße, ein hageres Gesicht und aufgerichtetes Haar — furchterregend — herbeigezogen zur Vernichtung der Götter und besonders der Menschen. Ein Herr der Dānavas beschwor es mit Mantras, die Śukra gelehrt hatte, und es war gegen alle Waffen unverwundbar, insbesondere gegen die göttlichen Astras.“

Word by Word

• śaṃku-karṇam: having cone-like ears
• śaṃku-karṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṃku (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; समासः (तत्पुरुषः)

• kṛśa-āsyam: thin-faced
• kṛśa-āsyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; कर्मधारय-समासः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — Indeclinable (conjunction)

• ūrdhva-keśam: with hair standing upright
• ūrdhva-keśam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + keśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; कर्मधारय-समासः

• bhayānakam: terrifying
• bhayānakam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhayānaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• nāśana-arthāya: for the destruction
• nāśana-arthāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśana (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular; समासः (तत्पुरुषः)

• mānuṣāṇām: of humans
• mānuṣāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — Indeclinable (adverb)

• ākṛṣṭam: drawn forth / summoned
• ākṛṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā√kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — PPP, Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• dānava-indreṇa: by the lord of the Dānavas
• dānava-indreṇa: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; समासः (तत्पुरुषः)

• mantraiḥ: with mantras
• mantraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• śukra-pradarśitaiḥ: shown by Śukra
• śukra-pradarśitaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukra (प्रातिपदिक) + pradarśita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; समासः (तत्पुरुषः: शुक्रेण प्रदर्शित)

• avadhyam: invulnerable / not to be slain
• avadhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vadhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• sarva-śastrāṇām: of all weapons
• sarva-śastrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Neuter, Genitive, Plural; कर्मधारय-समासः

• astrāṇām: of missiles / astras
• astrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — Indeclinable (conjunction)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — Indeclinable (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying, gaunt, spike-eared being with hair standing upright is shown as a daitya-king performs mantra-summoning taught by Śukra; the creature radiates invulnerability, defying weapons and astras.

Characters & Entities

• Śukra (Śukrācārya)
• Dānava-indra (lord of the Dānavas)
• Devas
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power gained through mantra and hostility becomes a threat to cosmic order; the Purāṇas contrast such misuse with dharmic worship that protects and restores harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s tīrtha (Vāstupada) is the implied setting; this verse supplies the mythic cause that later justifies special worship there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; the verse mentions mantras as a narrative device (summoning), not as a recommended practice.