Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यद्भयात्सकलैर्देवैर्नानाशस्त्राण्यनेकशः । निर्मितान्यतिमुख्यानि वर्मचर्मयुतानि च

Transliteration

yadbhayātsakalairdevairnānāśastrāṇyanekaśaḥ | nirmitānyatimukhyāni varmacarmayutāni ca

Translation

Out of fear of him, all the gods fashioned many kinds of weapons—especially the most formidable ones—along with armours and protective hides.

Word by Word

• यत्: whose/which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (relative), एकवचन; ‘यद्’ इति सम्बन्धसूचक

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सकलैः: by all
• सकलैः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Kartr-karana (Agent/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial prefix) — ‘various’

• शस्त्राणि: weapons
• शस्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अनेकशः: in many ways/many times
• अनेकशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• निर्मितानि: were made/constructed
• निर्मितानि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु) → निर्मित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अतिमुख्यानि: very excellent/chief
• अतिमुख्यानि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘अति’ उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण

• वर्मचर्मयुतानि: provided with armor and hide/leather
• वर्मचर्मयुतानि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वर्म च चर्म च ताभ्यां युतानि)

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

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial forge scene: devas and divine artisans crafting radiant weapons and armor—vajra-like forms, blazing astras, shimmering kavaca and protective hides—under the pressure of fear; flames, anvils, and sparks illuminate anxious faces.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Hiraṇyakaśipu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma becomes overpowering, even the devas must actively prepare and protect—dharma is upheld through vigilance, not passivity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly named in this verse; it supports the chapter’s broader sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.