Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

इन्द्रसेनेन दृष्टोऽसौ लोकपालैः समावृतः । उवाच त्वरया युक्तः प्रहसन्निव दैत्यराट्

Transliteration

indrasenena dṛṣṭo'sau lokapālaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ | uvāca tvarayā yuktaḥ prahasanniva daityarāṭ

Translation

Aperçu par l’armée d’Indra et entouré des Gardiens des mondes, le roi Daitya (Bali) parla avec hâte, comme s’il souriait.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रसेनेन: by Indrasena
• इन्द्रसेनेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• दृष्टः: was seen
• दृष्टः: Kriyā (Passive predicate/कर्मणि-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्√ (धातु: दर्शने) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) प्रयुक्तं क्रियापदवत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘was seen’

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘that (person)’

• लोकपालैः: with the world-guardians
• लोकपालैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): लोकस्य पालाः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘by/with the guardians of the worlds’

• समावृतः: surrounded
• समावृतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ√वृ (धातु: आवरणे) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘surrounded’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्√ (धातु: वचने)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वरया: with haste
• त्वरया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘with haste’

• युक्तः: endowed
• युक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज्√ (धातु: योजने) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘joined/possessed (with)’

• प्रहसन्: laughing
• प्रहसन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + हस्√ (धातु: हासे) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘laughing’

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamā (Comparative marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा/particle of comparison): like/as if

• दैत्यराट्: the Daitya-king
• दैत्यराट्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + राज्/राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: दैत्यानां राट् (राजा); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Bali (Daityarāṭ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bali, the daitya-king, seeing Indra surrounded by the lokapālas, speaks quickly—his face carrying a faint smile—while armies stand ready but restrained.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Indra
• Lokapālas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True strength can appear as calm confidence—speech and composure are marks of royal dharma even amid confrontation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader frame is Kedāra, but this verse narrates an encounter (not a tīrtha description).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative verse highlighting the setting and the speaker’s demeanor.