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Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 46

दैत्यो दुंदुभिनिर्ह्रादो दुष्टः प्रह्लादमातुलः । देवाः कथं सुजेयाः स्युरित्युपायमचिंतयत्

daityo duṃdubhinirhrādo duṣṭaḥ prahlādamātulaḥ | devāḥ kathaṃ sujeyāḥ syurityupāyamaciṃtayat

Le Daitya Duṃdubhinirhrāda, pervers, oncle maternel de Prahlāda, chercha un moyen, se disant : «Comment les dieux pourraient-ils devenir aisés à vaincre ?»

दैत्यःthe demon
दैत्यः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
दुंदुभि-निर्ह्रादःone whose roar is like a drum
दुंदुभि-निर्ह्रादः:
Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण/Predicate noun)
TypeNoun
Rootदुंदुभि (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्ह्राद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): 'दुंदुभेः निर्ह्रादः'
दुष्टःwicked
दुष्टः:
Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √दुष्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)
प्रह्लाद-मातुलःPrahlāda’s maternal uncle
प्रह्लाद-मातुलः:
Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate noun)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक) + मातुल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'प्रह्लादस्य मातुलः'
देवाःthe gods
देवाः:
Karma (कर्म) / Vishaya (विषय)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)
कथम्how
कथम्:
Prashna/Prakāra (प्रश्न/प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
सु-जेयाःeasily conquerable
सु-जेयाः:
Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective of देवाः)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + जेय (कृदन्त; √जि, तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण; 'सुलभतया जेयाः' (easily conquerable)
स्युःmight be / could be
स्युः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√अस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन
इतिthus
इति:
Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)
उपायम्a means/strategy
उपायम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootउपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
अचिन्तयत्he thought/pondered
अचिन्तयत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√चिन्त् (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Skanda (narration to Agastya, inferred from Kāśīkhaṇḍa convention)

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (typical frame; not stated in the verse)

Scene: A formidable daitya, Duṃdubhinirhrāda, sits in a shadowed hall or forest-clearing, brows knit in calculation, imagining the defeat of the devas; distant silhouettes of sacrificial fires and celestial beings hint at what he targets.

D
Duṃdubhinirhrāda
P
Prahlāda
D
Devas

FAQs

Adharma begins with strategizing against Dharma’s supports; vigilance is needed to protect sacred institutions.

The verse sits within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa framework (Kāśī/Varanasi), though this specific line emphasizes cosmic strategy rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

None explicitly; the verse introduces a plot concerning how Devas might be weakened.