Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तावन्न वज्रमिंद्रस्य शूलं नैव पिनाकिनः

Transliteration

tāvanna vajramiṃdrasya śūlaṃ naiva pinākinaḥ

Translation

ആ ശക്തി നിലനിൽക്കുന്നത്രയും കാലം ഇന്ദ്രന്റെ വജ്രവും അത്ര ഭയങ്കരമല്ല; പിനാകി (ശിവൻ)ന്റെ ത്രിശൂലവും അല്ല.

Word by Word

• तावत्: so long; to that extent
• तावत्: Sambandha (Temporal/extent adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक (adverb: 'so long/that much')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• वज्रम्: the thunderbolt
• वज्रम्: Karta (Elliptic subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सन्दर्भे प्रथमा (elliptic: 'vajra is not (effective)')

• इन्द्रस्य: of Indra
• इन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शूलम्: the trident/spear
• शूलम्: Karta (Elliptic subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सन्दर्भे प्रथमा (elliptic)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• पिनाकिनः: of Pinākin (Śiva)
• पिनाकिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; पिनाकी = शिवः

Speaker

Unspecified (continuation of warning/praise about superior spiritual power, likely of brāhmaṇa-śāpa or dharma-force)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: Indra’s vajra and Śiva’s triśūla appear in the sky, dimmed before an unseen, radiant force emanating from a composed brāhmaṇa-sage; the scene conveys that spiritual tejas ‘outshines’ weaponry.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Śiva
• Pinākin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual-moral force (especially arising from dharma and its guardians) is portrayed as surpassing even divine weaponry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this line; it supports the māhātmya by stressing the gravity of dharmic power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is comparative and theological, not procedural.