Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

तत्राभवन्महायुद्धं देवासुरविनाशकम् । देवानां दानवानां च क्रुद्धानामितरेतरम्

Transliteration

tatrābhavanmahāyuddhaṃ devāsuravināśakam | devānāṃ dānavānāṃ ca kruddhānāmitaretaram

Translation

Là éclata une grande guerre, funeste aux dieux comme aux asuras : Devas et Dānavas, courroucés, s’affrontèrent les uns aux autres.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• अभवत्: arose, occurred
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महायुद्धम्: a great battle
• महायुद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• देवासुरविनाशकम्: destroying gods and asuras
• देवासुरविनाशकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + असुर + विनाशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘देवानाम् असुराणां च विनाशकम्’ इति समाहार-तत्पुरुष (द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• दानवानाम्: of the Dānavas
• दानवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्रुद्धानाम्: of the enraged (ones)
• क्रुद्धानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘क्रुद्ध’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘देवानाम् दानवानाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• इतरेतरम्: against each other, mutually
• इतरेतरम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतरेतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परस्परार्थक-अव्ययप्राय प्रयोग (mutual/reciprocal adverbial)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast celestial battlefield: devas and asuras clashing, weapons flashing, chariots and aerial beings; the sky darkened by fury, yet a hint of divine order beyond.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras
• Dānavas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic conflict symbolizes the struggle between disorder and dharma, preparing for divine intervention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse continues the origin narrative that will culminate in the glorification of the Jalaśāyī sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the outbreak and nature of the war.