Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

धृतायुधा गताः सर्वे युद्धार्थं यत्र सा पुरी । शक्रस्यासादिता तेन दानवेन बलीयसा

Transliteration

dhṛtāyudhā gatāḥ sarve yuddhārthaṃ yatra sā purī | śakrasyāsāditā tena dānavena balīyasā

Translation

All of them, bearing weapons, went to that city for battle—the very city that had been assailed by that mighty Dānava, the foe of Śakra (Indra).

Word by Word

• धृत-आयुधाः: bearing weapons
• धृत-आयुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (कृदन्त/PPP, √धृ 'to hold') + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'whose weapons are held/borne'

• गताः: went
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु; गत्यर्थे 'to go') + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) प्रयुक्तः क्रियापदवत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'went/had gone'

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• युद्ध-अर्थम्: for battle
• युद्ध-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक/सम्बन्धबोधक) — 'where'

• सा: that
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देश

• पुरी: city
• पुरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शक्रस्य: of Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• आसादिता: assailed; attacked
• आसादिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√सद् (धातु; आसादने 'to attack/assail') + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'assailed/attacked' (पुरी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• दानवेन: by the demon
• दानवेन: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent)

• बलीयसा: by the mightier (one)
• बलीयसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक) → बलीयस् (तुलनात्मक/Comparative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-रूपम् (comparative) — 'stronger/mightier'

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa speaking to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/śrotṛ-gaṇa (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Armed gaṇas march toward a besieged city; walls and gates visible; a mighty dānava’s shadow looms; the air is tense with impending clash.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Dānava (demonic adversary; contextually Andhaka)
• city/purī (unnamed in verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection of the righteous community is a dharmic imperative; divine assistance arises when order is threatened.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The city is not named in this verse; the tīrtha-identification lies in the broader chapter context rather than this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the armed march to defend the attacked realm.