Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । आसीद्विदूरथोनाम हैहयाधिपतिः पुरा । यो वै दानपतिर्दक्षः शत्रुपक्षक्षयावहः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | āsīdvidūrathonāma haihayādhipatiḥ purā | yo vai dānapatirdakṣaḥ śatrupakṣakṣayāvahaḥ

Translation

Sūta sprach: „Einst gab es einen Herrscher der Haihayas namens Vidūratha – kundig als Herr der Freigebigkeit und Verderben bringend über die Reihen der Feinde.“

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आसीत्: there was/was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विदूरथः: Vidūratha
• विदूरथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदूरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• नाम: by name
• नाम: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (particle: by name)

• हैहयाधिपतिः: lord of the Haihayas
• हैहयाधिपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैहय (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (हैहयानाम् अधिपतिः)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/once)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• दानपतिः: master of charity/generosity
• दानपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (दानस्य पति: lord of gifts/charity)

• दक्षः: skilful/competent
• दक्षः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शत्रुपक्षक्षयावहः: bringing destruction to the enemy’s side
• शत्रुपक्षक्षयावहः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (कृदन्त; √वह् (धातु) + आ उपसर्ग, णिनि/अच्-प्रायः ‘आवह’ as agentive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (शत्रूणां पक्षस्य क्षयम् आवहति इति)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Haihaya king named Vidūratha in royal court or on battlefield: one hand bestowing gifts, the other holding weapons; enemies routed, while brāhmaṇas bless him—setting the stage for a tīrtha legend.

Characters & Entities

• Vidūratha
• Haihayas
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ideal kingship balances dāna (generosity) with kṣātra-dharma (protection and valor), setting the stage for tīrtha-linked merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse initiates the legend that will support the Gayāśīrṣa/Camatkārapura-kṣetra māhātmya; the specific tīrtha is developed in subsequent verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; dāna is praised as a royal virtue (dānapati) rather than prescribed as a specific act here.