Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

भारावतरणार्थाय दानवानां वधाय च । वसुदेवगृहे श्रीमान्द्वापरांते ततो हरिः

Transliteration

bhārāvataraṇārthāya dānavānāṃ vadhāya ca | vasudevagṛhe śrīmāndvāparāṃte tato hariḥ

Translation

To lighten the earth’s burden and to bring about the destruction of the Dānavas, the glorious Hari then (took birth) in the house of Vasudeva at the close of the Dvāpara age.

Word by Word

• भारावतरणार्थाय: for the purpose of relieving the burden
• भारावतरणार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार-अवतरण-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; भार + अवतरण + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भारस्य अवतरणस्य अर्थः)

• दानवानाम्: of the demons
• दानवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वधाय: for the slaying
• वधाय: Sampradana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (प्रयोजन), एकवचन

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

• वसुदेवगृहे: in the house of Vasudeva
• वसुदेवगृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुदेव-गृह (प्रातिपदिक; वसुदेव + गृह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वसुदेवस्य गृहम्)

• श्रीमान्: glorious/fortunate
• श्रीमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (हरिः) विशेषण

• द्वापरान्ते: at the end of Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरान्ते: Adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; द्वापर + अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (काल-अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (द्वापरस्य अन्तः)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mathurā (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Cosmic purpose statement: Hari’s descent at the end of Dvāpara into Vasudeva’s house, framed as Earth’s burden being lightened and demons destined for destruction.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Vasudeva
• Dānavas
• Dvāpara-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine descends to restore balance—protecting dharma and relieving the world of oppressive forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is avatāra-context; the chapter’s tīrtha focus later highlights Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; it explains the theological purpose behind the avatāra.