Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

अथ तं दानवेन्द्राणां मंत्रं ज्ञात्वा सुरेश्वरः । नारदाद्ब्राह्मणः पुत्राद्भयत्रस्तमनास्ततः

Transliteration

atha taṃ dānavendrāṇāṃ maṃtraṃ jñātvā sureśvaraḥ | nāradādbrāhmaṇaḥ putrādbhayatrastamanāstataḥ

Translation

ຕໍ່ມາ ພຣະເຈົ້າແຫ່ງເທວະທັງປວງ ເມື່ອຮູ້ຄໍາປຶກສາລັບຂອງຫົວໜ້າດານະວະ ຈາກບຸດຂອງນາຣະດະ ຜູ້ເປັນພຣາຫມະນະ ກໍເກີດຄວາມຢ້ານຢູ່ໃນໃຈ.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/आरम्भसूचक)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (मन्त्रं)

• दानवेन्द्राणाम्: of the lords of the Dānavas
• दानवेन्द्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having learned/known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having known’

• सुरेश्वरः: the lord of the gods (Indra)
• सुरेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नारदात्: from Nārada
• नारदात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: the brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पुत्रात्: from (his) son
• पुत्रात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• भयत्रस्तमनाः: whose mind was terrified by fear
• भयत्रस्तमनाः: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + त्रस्त + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘whose mind is frightened by fear’

• ततः: thereupon; then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तदनन्तर/तस्मात्-अर्थे)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, crowned and radiant, receives urgent intelligence from a brāhmaṇa identified as Nārada’s son; Indra’s face shows sudden fear and resolve, with stormy sky and distant shrine silhouette.

Characters & Entities

• Sureśvara (Indra)
• Dānava chiefs
• Nārada
• Nārada’s son (a brāhmaṇa informant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine rulers act with vigilance; protecting dharma requires timely intelligence and prudent response.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the verse supports the māhātmya narrative centered on the Vṛṣanātha-liṅga and its kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is narrative about learning an opposing plan.