Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अथ तस्य महीभर्तुर्बभूवुः शाल्वभूभुजः । शत्रवश्चोद्धतबला दुर्मर्षणपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

atha tasya mahībharturbabhūvuḥ śālvabhūbhujaḥ | śatravaścoddhatabalā durmarṣaṇapurogamāḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ആ ഭൂഭർത്താവിന്റെ ശത്രുക്കളായി ശാൽവരാജാക്കന്മാർ മാറി—ബലഗർവത്തിൽ ഉദ്ധതർ, ദുർമർഷണൻ മുന്നിൽ നിന്നു നയിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (connector/sequence marker)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• महीभर्तुः: of the ruler of the earth
• महीभर्तुः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम् (singular)

• बभूवुः: arose, came to be
• बभूवुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• शाल्वभूभुजः: kings of the Śālvas
• शाल्वभूभुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व + भूभुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• शत्रवः: enemies
• शत्रवः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• उद्धतबलाः: having arrogant/overbearing strength
• उद्धतबलाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्धत + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• दुर्मर्षणपुरोगमाः: led by Durmarṣaṇa
• दुर्मर्षणपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्मर्षण + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A darkening horizon: Śālva kings in martial assembly, banners raised; Durmarṣaṇa at the fore, faces proud; Vidarbha scouts reporting to Satyaratha.

Characters & Entities

• Śālva
• Durmarṣaṇa
• Satyaratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride in power breeds hostility; adharma tends to gather around arrogant leadership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this verse introduces antagonists rather than a sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative setup for impending battle.