Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

राक्षसो निरृतिर्देवो निशाचरबलानुगः । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन कुजंभं भीमविक्रमम्

Transliteration

rākṣaso nirṛtirdevo niśācarabalānugaḥ | abhidudrāva vegena kujaṃbhaṃ bhīmavikramam

Translation

രാക്ഷസാധിപനായ നിരൃതി, നിശാചരസൈന്യത്തെ അനുഗമിച്ച്, ഭയങ്കരപരാക്രമനായ കുജംഭനിലേക്കു വേഗത്തിൽ പാഞ്ഞുചെന്നു।

Word by Word

• राक्षसः: the demon
• राक्षसः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निरृतिः: Nirṛti (a deity/demon)
• निरृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• देवः: the god/deity
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-समनाधिकरण (apposition)

• निशाचरबलानुगः: follower of the army of night-wanderers
• निशाचरबलानुगः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• अभिदुद्राव: rushed/ran towards
• अभिदुद्राव: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (धातु) उपसर्गः अभि-
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana (करण/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कुजंभम्: Kujambha
• कुजंभम्: Karman (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुजंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भीमविक्रमम्: of terrible prowess
• भीमविक्रमम्: Karman (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nirṛti, a fearsome rākṣasa-lord, surges forward with a mass of night-roamers behind him, rushing toward the dreadful Kujaṃbha; dust, banners, and a sense of impending clash dominate the frame.

Characters & Entities

• Nirṛti
• Rākṣasa
• Niśācara
• Kujaṃbha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma gathers force, it advances swiftly; Purāṇic narratives frame such assaults as tests of divine order and courage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.