Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा विश्वेदेवा मरुद्गणाः । व्रीडां विहाय विध्वस्ताः पृष्ठदेशे शितैः शरैः

Transliteration

ādityā vasavo rudrā viśvedevā marudgaṇāḥ | vrīḍāṃ vihāya vidhvastāḥ pṛṣṭhadeśe śitaiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

ആദിത്യർ, വസുക്കൾ, രുദ്രർ, വിശ്വേദേവർ, മരുദ്ഗണങ്ങൾ—ലജ്ജ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച്—മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പുകൾ പിൻഭാഗത്ത് കുത്തി തകർന്നു വീണു।

Word by Word

• आदित्याः: the Ādityas
• आदित्याः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• वसवः: the Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• रुद्राः: the Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• विश्वेदेवाः: the Viśvedevas
• विश्वेदेवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वे-देव (प्रातिपदिक; विश्वे + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः = ‘विश्वे देवाः’ (the all-gods)

• मरुद्गणाः: the hosts of Maruts
• मरुद्गणाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत्-गण (प्रातिपदिक; मरुत् + गण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ‘मरुतां गणाः’

• व्रीडाम्: shame; modesty
• व्रीडाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = ‘विहाय’ (having abandoned); उपसर्गः ‘वि-’

• विध्वस्ताः: shattered; routed
• विध्वस्ताः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ध्वंस् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त (past passive participle) = ‘विध्वस्त’ (shattered/ruined)

• पृष्ठदेशे: in the back region; on the back
• पृष्ठदेशे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ-देश (प्रातिपदिक; पृष्ठ + देश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ‘पृष्ठस्य देशे’

• शितैः: sharp
• शितैः: Karana (Instrument qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; शि/शै ‘to sharpen’ → शित ‘sharp’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘शरैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Multiple classes of devas retreating with backs struck by arrows; faces turned in anguish, armor torn, banners trailing; Maruts in disarray amid stormy gusts.

Characters & Entities

• Ādityas
• Vasus
• Rudras
• Viśvedevas
• Maruts

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even mighty celestial powers can be humbled; refuge in the Supreme and alignment with dharma become the true source of victory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya frame, using a battle episode to magnify the sanctity of the tīrtha discussed in Adhyāya 34 (the specific place-name is not present in this single verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is stated in this verse.