Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सूनुर्ब्रह्मसुतस्यायमन्धको नाम दुर्मदः । निजस्थाने वसन् पापः कुर्वन् राज्यमकण्टकम्

Transliteration

sūnurbrahmasutasyāyamandhako nāma durmadaḥ | nijasthāne vasan pāpaḥ kurvan rājyamakaṇṭakam

Translation

Celui-ci, nommé Andhaka, arrogant et égaré, était le fils du fils de Brahmā. Demeurant dans son propre royaume, ce pécheur régnait sans aucun obstacle.

Word by Word

• सूनुः: son
• सूनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मसुतस्य: of Brahmā’s son
• ब्रह्मसुतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मसुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मन् + सुत)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्धकः: Andhaka
• अन्धकः: Apposition (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable used to indicate appellation)

• दुर्मदः: arrogant/insolent
• दुर्मदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—कर्मधारय (दुर् + मद)

• निजस्थाने: in his own place
• निजस्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निजस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (निज + स्थान)

• वसन्: dwelling
• वसन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापः: sinful/wicked
• पापः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (संज्ञावत्)

• कुर्वन्: doing/making
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अकण्टकम्: free of thorns/without obstacles
• अकण्टकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अ-नञ् + कण्टक)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śūlabheda (contextual; narrative cause)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Uttānapāda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Andhaka is introduced: arrogant, deluded, ruling his domain without opposition; the scene suggests oppressive order—quiet before divine disruption.

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka
• Brahmā
• Brahmā’s son (brahmasuta)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even high lineage and unchallenged sovereignty can coexist with adharma; Purāṇas warn that power without humility becomes spiritually ruinous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śūlabheda-tīrtha is the chapter’s focus, but this verse provides Andhaka’s background rather than the site’s description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.