Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

समुद्दिश्यांधकं तस्मै मुमोच परवीरहा । स हतस्तेन वज्रेण विहस्य दनुजोत्तमः

Transliteration

samuddiśyāṃdhakaṃ tasmai mumoca paravīrahā | sa hatastena vajreṇa vihasya danujottamaḥ

Translation

Aiming at Andhaka, Śakra—the slayer of enemy-heroes—released the vajra at him. Struck down by that thunderbolt, the foremost of Danu’s sons laughed still.

Word by Word

• समुद्दिश्य: having aimed at
• समुद्दिश्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) with सम्-उद्-; ‘having aimed/indicated (towards)’

• अन्धकम्: Andhaka
• अन्धकम्: Karma (Target/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/target)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचनम्

• मुमोच: released; hurled
• मुमोच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• परवीरहा: slayer of enemy heroes (Indra)
• परवीरहा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + वीर + हन् (प्रातिपदिक); परवीरान् हन्ति इति
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (one who slays enemy-heroes)

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• हतः: killed
• हतः: Karta-pradhana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त; विधेयविशेषणम् (स)

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• वज्रेण: by the thunderbolt
• वज्रेण: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• विहस्य: having laughed
• विहस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Concomitant prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) with वि-; ‘having laughed’

• दनुजोत्तमः: the best of the Danu-born (demons)
• दनुजोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/apposition to स)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनुज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); दनुजानाम् उत्तमः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra hurls the blazing vajra at Andhaka; the thunderbolt strikes, yet the foremost dānava laughs even as he falls—an uncanny, awe-filled moment.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Andhaka
• Vajra
• Danuja (Dānava)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic battles dramatize the clash of dharma and adharma; even when power strikes, inner disposition (pride or surrender) shapes one’s fate.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.