Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

निहतैर्दानवैर्घोरैर्देवदेवो जनार्दनः । तत्पापस्य विनाशार्थं दानवान्तोद्भवस्य च

Transliteration

nihatairdānavairghorairdevadevo janārdanaḥ | tatpāpasya vināśārthaṃ dānavāntodbhavasya ca

Translation

After the dreadful Dānavas were slain, Janārdana, the God of gods, acted to destroy the sin arising from that deed and to quell the affliction born of the Dānavas as well.

Word by Word

• निहतैः: by the slain
• निहतैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दानवैः: by the demons (Dānavas)
• दानवैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (दानवैः)

• देवदेवः: God of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; देवदेवः इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (तत्पापस्य)

• पापस्य: of the sin
• पापस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• विनाशार्थम्: for the destruction
• विनाशार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (विनाशाय अर्थः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• दानवान्तोद्भवस्य: of the one born at the end of the Dānavas
• दानवान्तोद्भवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + अन्त + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (अन्तोद्भव = अन्ते उद्भवः; दानव-अन्तोद्भवः), पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Janārdana stands calm after a fierce battle; fallen dānavas fade into the background while the river-tīrtha glows, signaling a transition from victory to purification and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• Dānavas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even righteous violence can generate a need for purification; Purāṇic dharma frames tīrthas as remedies for such karmic taints.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the origin-context of the Mahāpātaka-nāśana tīrtha near Cakratīrtha (named in the previous verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse explains the motive for establishing/approaching a tīrtha—destruction of sin.