Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

रक्षितुं गाल वमुनिं राक्षसेन प्रपीडितम् । अथागत्य हरेश्चक्रं राक्षसस्य शिरोऽहरत्

Transliteration

rakṣituṃ gāla vamuniṃ rākṣasena prapīḍitam | athāgatya hareścakraṃ rākṣasasya śiro'harat

Translation

Afin de protéger le sage Gālava, accablé par le rākṣasa, le disque de Hari survint et trancha la tête du rākṣasa.

Word by Word

• रक्षितुम्: to protect
• रक्षितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थक

• गालवमुनिम्: sage Gālava
• गालवमुनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गालवमुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (गालवः मुनिः)

• राक्षसेन: by the demon
• राक्षसेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रपीडितम्: afflicted/oppressed
• प्रपीडितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पीड् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्गः: प्र

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Purva-kala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्गः: आ

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• चक्रम्: the discus
• चक्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• राक्षसस्य: of the demon
• राक्षसस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अहरत्: took away/severed
• अहरत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Setu-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmatīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Munīśvarāḥ (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant discus flies from the divine realm, arcs over the tīrtha waters, and cleanly severs the rākṣasa’s head; the sage remains unharmed, aura of calm around him; flowers or light begin to appear as omen of transformation.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Sudarśana-cakra
• Rākṣasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is defended by divine power—harm to a saint at a tīrtha invites swift cosmic justice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmatīrtha (Setu-khaṇḍa), presented as a place where divine protection manifests.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the focus is on divine intervention through Sudarśana.