Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

हतशेषाश्च दैत्यास्ते पातालांतःसमा गताः । वृकोऽपि पंगुतां प्राप्तस्तस्थौ तपसि सुस्थिरम्

Transliteration

hataśeṣāśca daityāste pātālāṃtaḥsamā gatāḥ | vṛko'pi paṃgutāṃ prāptastasthau tapasi susthiram

Translation

Jene Daityas, die das Gemetzel überlebten, zogen sich gemeinsam in die Tiefen von Pātāla zurück. Auch Vṛka, der lahm geworden war, verharrte standhaft und unerschütterlich in Askese.

Word by Word

• हतशेषाः: having only remnants left (mostly slain)
• हतशेषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत-शेष (कृदन्त+प्रातिपदिक; √हन् (धातु) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) ‘हत’ + विशेष्य ‘शेष’—‘हताः शेषाः येषाम्’ इति समासार्थः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दैत्याः: demons (Daityas)
• दैत्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पाताल-अन्तः-समाः: inside Pātāla (the netherworld)
• पाताल-अन्तः-समाः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाताल + अन्तः + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः—‘पातालस्य अन्तः (अन्तरे) समाः’ = ‘within Pātāla’

• गताः: went / reached
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘गच्छिताः/प्राप्ताः’

• वृकः: Vṛka
• वृकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-शब्दः ‘also/even’ (समुच्चय/अवधारण)

• पङ्गुताम्: lameness
• पङ्गुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्गुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्राप्तः: attained / became
• प्राप्तः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तवान्’ अर्थे

• तस्थौ: stood / remained
• तस्थौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तपसि: in austerity / in penance
• तपसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सुस्थिरम्: very steady / firmly
• सुस्थिरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्ग ‘सु’ + ‘स्थिर’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pātāla (cosmic realm)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Surviving daityas slip into the dark depths of Pātāla; Vṛka, now lame, stands immovable in austerity—still, rigid posture, eyes fixed, surrounded by a stark, otherworldly landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Pātāla
• Vṛka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after defeat, intense tapas can redirect a life; steadiness in austerity is portrayed as powerful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha is stated in this verse; it situates events in Meru/Pātāla cosmography within the Māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity/penance) is referenced as a practice, but no specific rite is detailed.