Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अथ कालप्रभोनाम दानवो बलगर्वितः । स शक्रं पुरतो दृष्ट्वा वज्रोच्छ्रितकरं स्थितम् । प्रोवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं मेघगम्भीरनिःस्वनः

Transliteration

atha kālaprabhonāma dānavo balagarvitaḥ | sa śakraṃ purato dṛṣṭvā vajrocchritakaraṃ sthitam | provāca prahasanvākyaṃ meghagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ

Translation

Da trat ein Dānava namens Kālaprabha hervor, vom Stolz auf seine Kraft aufgebläht; als er Śakra (Indra) vor sich stehen sah, den Arm erhoben und den Vajra haltend, sprach er mit spöttischem Lachen—seine Stimme dröhnte tief wie Donner in Wolken.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘then’

• kālaprabhaḥ: Kālaprabha
• kālaprabhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; proper name ‘Kālaprabha’

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-निपात; indeclinable ‘by name’

• dānavaḥ: a Dānava (demon)
• dānavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; apposition to kālaprabhaḥ

• balagarvitaḥ: proud of his strength
• balagarvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bala + garvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘proud of strength’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; pronoun referring to Kālaprabha

• śakram: Śakra (Indra)
• śakram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; object of dṛṣṭvā

• purataḥ: in front
• purataḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय; adverb ‘in front’

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (धातु) → dṛṣṭvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) ‘having seen’

• vajrocchritakaram: with hand raised holding the thunderbolt
• vajrocchritakaram: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra + ucchrita + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies śakram: ‘whose hand is raised with the thunderbolt’

• sthitam: standing
• sthitam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies śakram ‘standing’

• provāca: spoke
• provāca: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada; ‘said/spoke forth’

• prahasan: laughing
• prahasan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + has (धातु) → prahasan (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘laughing’ (agreeing with saḥ)

• vākyam: words, a speech
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; object of provāca

• meghagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ: with a cloud-deep roar/voice
• meghagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: megha + gambhīra + niḥsvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘having a sound deep like thunderclouds’ (qualifies saḥ)

Speaker

Kālaprabha (Dānava)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kālaprabha, towering and armored, laughs mockingly; Indra stands firm, vajra raised, poised for strike; stormclouds echo the asura’s thunderous voice.

Characters & Entities

• Kālaprabha
• Śakra (Indra)
• Vajra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bala-garva (arrogance of power) leads to derision and downfall; dharma requires humility even amid strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of the narrative context within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse introduces a combat dialogue.