Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

निहता ताडका चैव सप्तताला विभेदिताः । खरश्च दूषणश्चैव त्रिशिराश्च महासुरः

Transliteration

nihatā tāḍakā caiva saptatālā vibheditāḥ | kharaśca dūṣaṇaścaiva triśirāśca mahāsuraḥ

Translation

Tāḍakā aussi fut mise à mort, et les sept palmiers tāla furent transpercés. Khara et Dūṣaṇa furent anéantis, ainsi que Triśiras, le grand asura.

Word by Word

• निहता: was slain
• निहता: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत (कृदन्त; नि-√हन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त

• ताडका: Tāḍakā
• ताडका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताडका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• सप्त-तालाः: seven palm trees
• सप्त-तालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक) + ताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्ततालाः = सप्त तालाः)

• विभेदिताः: were pierced/split
• विभेदिताः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभेदित (कृदन्त; वि-√भिद् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त

• खरः: Khara
• खरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• दूषणः: Dūṣaṇa
• दूषणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• त्रिशिराः: Triśiras (three-headed one)
• त्रिशिराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस्/शिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (त्रिशिराः = यस्य त्रीणि शिरांसि सः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• महासुरः: the great demon
• महासुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् असुरः)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa (context speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rapid montage: Tāḍakā falling in the forest; seven tāla-palms pierced in a single line; Khara, Dūṣaṇa, and Triśiras struck down amid dust and arrows—Rāma as the axis of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Tāḍakā
• Saptatāla (seven tāla trees)
• Khara
• Dūṣaṇa
• Triśiras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The protection of dharma includes removing forces that obstruct yajña, tapas, and the safety of the righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the overarching sacred region; this verse supports its māhātmya by linking it to dharma-protecting exemplars like Rāma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the emphasis is on exemplary deeds that uphold sacred order.