Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अथाभवन्महायुद्धं देवानां दानवैः सह । यावद्वर्षसहस्रांते मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम्

Transliteration

athābhavanmahāyuddhaṃ devānāṃ dānavaiḥ saha | yāvadvarṣasahasrāṃte mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam

Translation

Alors s’éleva une grande guerre entre les Devas et les Dānavas. Pendant mille ans elle se prolongea, semant la mort ; et ce n’est qu’ensuite qu’ils se retirèrent et rebroussèrent chemin.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriya-viseshana (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• अभवत्: there was / occurred
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• महा-युद्धम्: a great battle
• महा-युद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दानवैः: with the demons
• दानवैः: Sahakari (Co-agent/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-उपपद (postposition meaning 'with')

• यावत्: up to, until
• यावत्: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक (up to/as long as)

• वर्ष-सहस्र-अन्ते: at the end of a thousand years
• वर्ष-सहस्र-अन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (समाहार/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध): वर्षाणां सहस्रस्य अन्ते

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having made / having caused
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• निवर्तनम्: return, withdrawal
• निवर्तनम्: Karma (Result/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि-√वृत् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक-नाम (action noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast, chaotic war between devas and dānavas, stretching across ages: chariots collide, celestial weapons blaze, bodies fall; after immense slaughter, both sides withdraw exhausted.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma and adharma clash, the struggle may be long, but time itself becomes a witness to karmic consequence and eventual turning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it continues the battle narrative embedded in the Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.