Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

निवातकवचाः सर्वे रवरावकसंज्ञकाः । अन्ये च बहवो दैत्याः प्रजासंहारकारकाः

Transliteration

nivātakavacāḥ sarve ravarāvakasaṃjñakāḥ | anye ca bahavo daityāḥ prajāsaṃhārakārakāḥ

Translation

Tous les Nivātakavacas—également connus sous le nom de Ravārāvaka—ainsi que bien d’autres Dānavas, devinrent des instruments de destruction, semant la ruine parmi les êtres vivants.

Word by Word

• निवातकवचाः: (demons) called Nivātakavaca
• निवातकवचाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवात + कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—'निवातं कवचं येषां ते' इति (बहुव्रीहिरपि सम्भवः), अत्र नामरूपेण प्रथमा-बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• रवरावकसंज्ञकाः: having the name Ravarāvaka
• रवरावकसंज्ञकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रवरावक + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—'रवरावक इति संज्ञा येषां ते' (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samucchaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दैत्याः: Daityas (demons)
• दैत्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रजासंहारकारकाः: causing the destruction of creatures
• प्रजासंहारकारकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रजा + संहार + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—'प्रजानां संहारः' (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + 'कारक' (तत्पुरुष: संहारस्य कारकाः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative framing)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Armored Nivātakavacas (invulnerable-looking, ‘kavaca’ emphasized) surge like a dark tide; settlements and forests in peril; devas retreat; the air filled with dust and war-cries ‘rava-rāvaka’.

Characters & Entities

• Nivātakavaca
• Ravārāvaka
• Daitya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked adharma and violent power inevitably become destructive to society; dharma requires protection through divine order and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is narrative (asura activity) rather than direct tīrtha-praise; it occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa, whose larger frame glorifies Kedāra (Kedarnath) and the Himalayan sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it sets narrative context about destructive forces opposing dharma.