Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

ततो बलेन महता काशिराजबलेन च । पौंड्रको वासुदेवोऽसौ केशवाभिमुखो ययौ

Transliteration

tato balena mahatā kāśirājabalena ca | pauṃḍrako vāsudevo'sau keśavābhimukho yayau

Translation

Daraufhin rückte Pauṇḍraka, der sich selbst „Vāsudeva“ nannte, mit seiner großen Streitmacht und auch mit dem Heer des Königs von Kāśī Keśava entgegen.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम्

• बलेन: with force/army
• बलेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• महता: great
• महता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बलस्य विशेषणम्

• काशिराजबलेन: with the army of the king of Kashi
• काशिराजबलेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशिराज (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘Kashi-king’s force’); नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• पौंड्रकः: Paundraka
• पौंड्रकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौंड्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• वासुदेवः: Vasudeva (name/title)
• वासुदेवः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• असौ: that (man)
• असौ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• केशवाभिमुखः: facing toward Keshava
• केशवाभिमुखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (‘facing Keshava’); पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pauṇḍraka, backed by Kāśī’s army, advances boldly toward Keśava, proclaiming himself ‘Vāsudeva’; two forces converge under dust and war-cries.

Characters & Entities

• Pauṇḍraka
• Keśava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Kāśīrāja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Imitating divine names and status does not grant divine authority; adharma, even when backed by power, ultimately confronts the true Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is set in the wider narrative connected with Kāśī through the Kāśīrāja, within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya compilation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a martial/narrative progression.