Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

अथ देवगणाः सर्वे भयसंत्रस्तमानसाः । चक्रुर्मंत्रं तदर्थं हि तारकेण प्रपीडिताः

Transliteration

atha devagaṇāḥ sarve bhayasaṃtrastamānasāḥ | cakrurmaṃtraṃ tadarthaṃ hi tārakeṇa prapīḍitāḥ

Translation

Da ersannen alle Scharen der Götter, deren Geist von Furcht erschüttert war, zu eben diesem Zweck ein Mantra, denn sie wurden von Tāraka bedrängt.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/then)

• देवगणाः: the groups of gods
• देवगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• भय: by fear
• भय: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (as first member in compound)

• संत्रस्त: terrified
• संत्रस्त: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + त्रस् (धातु) → संत्रस्त (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मानसाः: minds (as: having minds)
• मानसाः: Visheshya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासान्तर्गत (as member in compound with implied 'they whose minds...')

• चक्रुः: they performed/made
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन

• मन्त्रम्: a mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• तदर्थम्: for that purpose
• तदर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय (adverbial); अर्थे 'तस्य अर्थम्/तदर्थाय' (for that purpose)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• तारकेण: by Tāraka
• तारकेण: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• प्रपीडिताः: oppressed/tormented
• प्रपीडिताः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + पीड् (धातु) → प्रपीडित (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण (of देवगणाः)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devas, anxious and shaken, gather in council, forming a protective mantra-plan against the oppressive asura Tāraka; a tense celestial assembly with stormy omens.

Characters & Entities

• Devas (devagaṇa)
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When threatened by adharma, the devas turn to mantra—sacred disciplined means—rather than despair.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified in this shloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse mentions forming/undertaking a “mantra” (sacred formula or rite) but does not specify its syllables or procedure.