Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

युद्धाय निजहर्म्ये तान्स्थापयित्वा सुरोत्तमान् । प्रतिज्ञाय वधं तुभ्यं पुरतः परमेष्ठिनः

Transliteration

yuddhāya nijaharmye tānsthāpayitvā surottamān | pratijñāya vadhaṃ tubhyaṃ purataḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ

Translation

Zum Kampf stellte er die erhabensten Götter in seinem eigenen Palast auf und gelobte vor Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā), dich zu töten.

Word by Word

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; Dative singular (purpose)

• निजहर्म्ये: in (his) own palace
• निजहर्म्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + हर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (निजस्य हर्म्ये)

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural (pronoun)

• स्थापयित्वा: having stationed/installed
• स्थापयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Conjunctive action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → स्थापय; क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); ‘having caused to place/installed’

• सुरोत्तमान्: the best of the gods
• सुरोत्तमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणाम् उत्तमान्)

• प्रतिज्ञाय: having vowed
• प्रतिज्ञाय: Kriya-viseshana (Conjunctive action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); ‘having promised/pledged’

• वधम्: killing, slaying
• वधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular

• पुरतः: in front (of)
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण (स्थानवाचक-अव्यय)

• परमेष्ठिनः: of the Supreme Lord (Parameṣṭhin)
• परमेष्ठिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (addressing Andhaka)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a grand palace-hall, the foremost gods are positioned as if for battle; before Brahmā (Parameṣṭhin) seated on a lotus-throne, an antagonist makes a fierce vow of killing, with tense stillness before eruption of conflict.

Characters & Entities

• Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)
• Śiva (implied from context)
• Surottamāḥ (foremost gods)
• Andhaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A divine vow made before the cosmic authority (Brahmā) signals the inevitability of dharma’s triumph over arrogance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of the māhātmya’s mythic history layer.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on a vow (pratijñā) and battle preparation.