Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

सूर्यवंशोद्भवः पूर्वं त्रिशंकुरिति विश्रुतः । आसीत्पार्थिवशार्दूलः शार्दूलसमविक्रमः

Transliteration

sūryavaṃśodbhavaḥ pūrvaṃ triśaṃkuriti viśrutaḥ | āsītpārthivaśārdūlaḥ śārdūlasamavikramaḥ

Translation

Autrefois naquit, dans la dynastie solaire, celui que l’on célébrait sous le nom de Triśaṅku : un tigre parmi les rois, au courage égal à la puissance du tigre.

Word by Word

• सूर्यवंशोद्भवः: born of the Solar dynasty
• सूर्यवंशोद्भवः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्यवंश + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यवंशस्य उद्भवः = born in the Solar dynasty)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावार्थे)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• त्रिशङ्कुः: Triśaṅku
• त्रिशङ्कुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus / by the name
• इति: Sambandha (Marker of quotation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निरूपणार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• विश्रुतः: was renowned
• विश्रुतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु) → विश्रुत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अर्थे) ‘प्रसिद्धः’ (renowned)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• पार्थिवशार्दूलः: tiger among kings
• पार्थिवशार्दूलः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पार्थिवानां शार्दूलः = tiger among kings)

• शार्दूलसमविक्रमः: having valor equal to a tiger
• शार्दूलसमविक्रमः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शार्दूल + सम + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (शार्दूलस्य समः विक्रमः यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A regal portrait-introduction: Triśaṅku as a Solar-dynasty king, lion-throne or chariot, radiant aura suggesting Sūryavaṃśa prestige; narrator’s voice overlays genealogical praise.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• Sūryavaṃśa (Solar dynasty)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is framed through lineage and character—royal power is acknowledged, but it will be tested by higher spiritual law in the coming dialogue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets up the king’s identity for the tīrtha-centered narrative that follows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is descriptive genealogy and praise of royal valor.