Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । तालमेघेन वो मध्ये बली तेन समः सुराः । विना माधवदेवेन साध्यो मे नैव दानवः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | tālameghena vo madhye balī tena samaḥ surāḥ | vinā mādhavadevena sādhyo me naiva dānavaḥ

Translation

Brahmā dit : «Parmi vous, Tālamegha est puissant ; en vigueur il égale les devas. Sans Mādhava (Viṣṇu), ce dānava ne peut être dompté par moi».

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘Brahmā’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘said’

• तालमेघेन: by Tālamegha
• तालमेघेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल + मेघ (प्रातिपदिके; components)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — ‘by/with the Tālamegha (name)’

• वः: your, of you
• वः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — ‘of you/your’

• मध्ये: among, in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — ‘in the midst/among’

• बली: Bali
• बली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘Bali’

• तेन: with him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — ‘with/by him’

• समः: equal
• समः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘equal’ (predicate adjective to ‘balī’)

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — ‘gods’

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Ablative sense/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपपद; अपादानार्थक) — ‘without’ (governs instrumental)

• माधवदेवेन: by Lord Mādhava
• माधवदेवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव + देव (प्रातिपदिके; components)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — ‘by/with Lord Mādhava (Viṣṇu)’

• साध्यः: can be subdued
• साध्यः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक; √साध् + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘to be accomplished/possible to subdue’ (predicate)

• मे: for me, my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — ‘my/for me’ (genitive of relation)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — negation particle

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) — ‘indeed/just’

• दानवः: the demon
• दानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘the demon’ (i.e., Bali)

Speaker

Brahmā

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā speaks firmly: Tālamegha is mighty among them, equal to devas; only with Mādhava’s aid can the dānava be subdued.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Tālamegha
• Devas (Suras)
• Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In cosmic governance, each deity has a role; overcoming certain evils requires the specific divine power aligned with dharma—here, Viṣṇu.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the verse points toward Kṣīroda (Milk Ocean) where Viṣṇu is approached, a key sacred locus in Purāṇic geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction about seeking Viṣṇu’s intervention.