Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तच्चेद्राक्षसभावेन स महात्मा विभीषणः । करिष्यति सुरैः सार्धं विरोधं रावणो यथा

Transliteration

taccedrākṣasabhāvena sa mahātmā vibhīṣaṇaḥ | kariṣyati suraiḥ sārdhaṃ virodhaṃ rāvaṇo yathā

Translation

Mais si Vibhīṣaṇa, cette grande âme, sous l’emprise d’une nature de Rākṣasa, venait à s’opposer aux dieux avec les suras—comme le fit Rāvaṇa—

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्योपक्रमे ‘तत्’ = ‘that (thing/condition)’

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Clause connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (if)

• rākṣasa-bhāvena: by/with the nature of a rākṣasa
• rākṣasa-bhāvena: Karana/Hetu (Means/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘राक्षसस्य भावः’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mahātmā: the great-souled one
• mahātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘महान् आत्मा’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; vibhīṣaṇaḥ इति समानाधिकरण

• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Vibhīṣaṇa
• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kariṣyati: will do / will make
• kariṣyati: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• suraiḥ: with the gods
• suraiḥ: Sahakārī (Associate/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Sahārtha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (with/together with)

• virodham: opposition, conflict
• virodham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rāvaṇaḥ: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇaḥ: Upamāna/Dr̥ṣṭānta (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Upamā (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/like)

Speaker

Rāma (contextual continuation of concern for Vibhīṣaṇa’s future conduct)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Laṅkā (as a realm requiring dhārmic stabilization)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (contextual) māhātmya listener

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma’s inner apprehension visualized: Vibhīṣaṇa as noble yet shadowed by rākṣasa lineage; devas in the background as potential adversaries; Rāvaṇa’s silhouette as cautionary memory.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Devas
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the virtuous must guard against inherited tendencies; dharma requires foresight and preventive guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on ethical risk and responsibility.