Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

ततः केशेषु चाधाय यावत्तस्यापि चिक्षिपे । प्रहारं गात्रनाशाय तावदूचे स दानवः

Transliteration

tataḥ keśeṣu cādhāya yāvattasyāpi cikṣipe | prahāraṃ gātranāśāya tāvadūce sa dānavaḥ

Translation

それから彼は（女神の）髪をつかみ、御身を滅ぼさんと一撃を放とうとしたその時、ダーナヴァは口を開いた。

Word by Word

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/हेतुवाचक (from that/thereupon)

• केशेषु: in/on the hair (by the hair)
• केशेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आधाय: having seized/placed
• आधाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having placed/seized’

• यावत्: as much as, until
• यावत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक (as much as/so long as)

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Modifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• चिक्षिपे: threw, cast
• चिक्षिपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रहारम्: a blow, strike
• प्रहारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गात्रनाशाय: for the destruction of the body
• गात्रनाशाय: Sampradana/Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र-नाश (प्रातिपदिक; गात्र + नाश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गात्रस्य नाशः)

• तावत्: just then
• तावत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तावदर्थे (then/just then)

• ऊचे: said, spoke
• ऊचे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

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

• दानवः: the demon
• दानवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta-style narration within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The daitya grabs the Goddess by the hair, raising his weapon for a fatal strike; the moment freezes at the brink, charged with impending reversal.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At the edge of destruction, pride can collapse into recognition—often the turning point toward surrender and truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha-context is overarching; this verse narrates the dramatic pivot that supports the māhātmya’s sacred authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is mentioned.