Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

कृतरक्षो वसिष्ठेन स्वयमेव पुरोधसा । क्रूराक्षं सूदयामास राक्षसैर्बहुभिः सह

Transliteration

kṛtarakṣo vasiṣṭhena svayameva purodhasā | krūrākṣaṃ sūdayāmāsa rākṣasairbahubhiḥ saha

Translation

Protégé rituellement par Vasiṣṭha lui-même, son prêtre royal, le roi tua Krūrākṣa, avec nombre d’autres rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• कृतरक्षः: protected, safeguarded
• कृतरक्षः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, कृदन्त) + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः ‘कृतं रक्षः यस्य’ (protected/warded)

• वसिष्ठेन: by Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Emphatic to subject)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक (indeclinable: oneself)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• पुरोधसा: by the family priest
• पुरोधसा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• क्रूराक्षम्: Cruel-eyed one (a demon)
• क्रूराक्षम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रूर + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (क्रूरम् अक्षं यस्य/क्रूराक्षः)

• सूदयामास: killed, slew
• सूदयामास: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सूद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/periphrastic perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राक्षसैः: with demons
• राक्षसैः: सहकारक/सहयोग (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: सहकारक-विशेषण (Qualifier of accompaniment)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• सह: together with
• सह: सहकारक/सहयोग (Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (indeclinable: with)

Speaker

Deductive (narratorial voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; explicit speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha performs a protective rite over the king—sprinkling sanctified water, tracing protective marks—while the king strikes down Krūrākṣa and other rākṣasas; a luminous aura surrounds the king.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Purohita (royal priest)
• Krūrākṣa
• Rākṣasas
• Maitrasahi (implied by continuity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual protection (rakṣā) and righteous strength together uphold dharma—brahminical sanctity empowers kṣatriya action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is part of the wider Tīrthamāhātmya context of Adhyāya 53; it is not named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Rakṣā (protective rite) performed by Vasiṣṭha as purohita is referenced, implying mantric/ritual safeguarding of the yajña.