Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवास्तारकेणातिपीडिताः । प्रोत्साहितेन चात्यर्थं मया कलिचिकीर्षुणा

Transliteration

etasminnaṃtare devāstārakeṇātipīḍitāḥ | protsāhitena cātyarthaṃ mayā kalicikīrṣuṇā

Translation

ഇതിനിടയിൽ താരകനാൽ അത്യന്തം പീഡിതരായ ദേവന്മാർ, കലഹം ആരംഭിക്കുവാൻ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച എന്നാൽ അത്യധികമായി പ്രോത്സാഹിതരായി.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अन्तरे: in the meantime/interval
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'एतस्मिन्' इत्यनेन सह—एतस्मिन्नन्तरे

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तारकेण: by Tāraka
• तारकेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• अतिपीडिताः: greatly oppressed
• अतिपीडिताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + पीड् (धातु) → अतिपीडित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थक विशेषण

• प्रोत्साहितेन: encouraged/urged
• प्रोत्साहितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + उत् + सह् (धातु) → प्रोत्साहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• अत्यर्थम्: exceedingly
• अत्यर्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यर्थ (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (very much)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• कलिचिकीर्षुणा: by (one) wishing to make/bring about Kali (strife)
• कलिचिकीर्षुणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलि + चिकीर्षु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (चिकीर्षु, desiderative agent-noun); पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कलिं चिकीर्षुः)

Speaker

Nārada (implicit ‘mayā’ = Nārada as narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas (immediate narrative audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devas, weary and wounded by Tāraka’s oppression, gather with urgency; a narrator-figure (Skanda/Kaumāra voice) hints at stirring them toward decisive action; stormy sky, banners, and anxious faces contrast with divine resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Devas
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic imbalance (devas afflicted by adharma) triggers divinely guided turning points; even catalysts like Nārada serve restoration of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse advances the cosmic narrative around Tāraka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a plot transition describing the devas’ affliction and Nārada’s urging.