Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एवं निहन्य्मानानामसुराणां शचीपतेः । निवारणार्थं भगवानागतो नारदस्तदा

Transliteration

evaṃ nihanymānānāmasurāṇāṃ śacīpateḥ | nivāraṇārthaṃ bhagavānāgato nāradastadā

Translation

Tandis que les asuras étaient ainsi abattus par le seigneur de Śacī, le vénérable Nārada arriva alors afin de le retenir.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• निहन्यमानानाम्: of those being slain
• निहन्यमानानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहन्यमान (√हन् धातु, निहन्-उपसर्ग; शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/कर्तरि प्रयोगे वर्तमानकृदन्तः (being slain)

• असुराणाम्: of the Asuras
• असुराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शचीपतेः: of Śacī’s husband (Indra)
• शचीपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची-पति (प्रातिपदिक; घटकौ: शची + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (शच्याः पतिः)

• निवारणार्थम्: for the purpose of stopping (it)
• निवारणार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवारण-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; घटकौ: निवारण + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter sense), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थे द्वितीया (accusative of purpose); तत्पुरुषः (निवारणस्य अर्थः)

• भगवान्: the revered one
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आगतः: came/arrived
• आगतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आगत (√गम् धातु, आ-उपसर्ग; क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (past participle) कर्तरि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियापदवत् (came)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); भगवन्-विशेषण/सम्बोधन-प्रसङ्गः

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (overarching)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada arrives amid the ongoing slaughter—vīṇā in hand, radiant and calm—stepping between the furious victor and the terrified foes, embodying dharma’s brake.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Asuras
• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even rightful power must be checked by dharmic counsel; sages intervene to prevent excess violence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra section provides the pilgrimage context, but this verse is an ethical turning-point in the story rather than a site-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.