Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3
त्रेतायुगे महाभाग रावणो देवकण्टकः । त्रैलोक्यविजयी रौद्रः सुरासुरभयंकरः
tretāyuge mahābhāga rāvaṇo devakaṇṭakaḥ | trailokyavijayī raudraḥ surāsurabhayaṃkaraḥ
ഹേ മഹാഭാഗാ! ത്രേതായുഗത്തിൽ രാവണൻ ദേവന്മാർക്കു കണ്ഠകമായിരുന്നു—രൗദ്രസ്വഭാവൻ, ത്രിലോകവിജയി, ദേവാസുരർക്കെല്ലാം ഭയങ്കരൻ.
Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuity)
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira
Scene: A formidable Rāvaṇa in regal armor, many-headed iconography suggested, standing beneath stormy skies; the three worlds symbolized behind him; devas and asuras shown in anxious retreat.
FAQs
Power divorced from dharma becomes a terror to all realms; conquest is not greatness when it harms cosmic order.
No tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets the historical-epic background for the Revā Khaṇḍa narration.
None; the verse is descriptive, introducing Rāvaṇa’s character and era.