Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

ततश्चेंद्रजयाकांक्षी समासाय सुरालयम् । सहस्राक्षमुखान्देवान्युद्धे चक्रे पराङ्मुखान्

Transliteration

tataśceṃdrajayākāṃkṣī samāsāya surālayam | sahasrākṣamukhāndevānyuddhe cakre parāṅmukhān

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ഇന്ദ്രനെ ജയിക്കണമെന്ന ആഗ്രഹത്തോടെ അവൻ ദേവാലയത്തിലേക്ക് ചെന്നു; യുദ്ധത്തിൽ സഹസ്രനേത്രനായ ഇന്ദ്രന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിലുള്ള ദേവന്മാരെ പിൻമാറാൻ നിർബന്ധിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — 'thereafter/then'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-निपात) — conjunction 'and'

• इन्द्र-जय-आकाङ्क्षी: desiring Indra’s victory
• इन्द्र-जय-आकाङ्क्षी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक) + आकाङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण — 'desiring Indra's victory'

• समासाय: having approached
• समासाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (ल्यप्) अव्यय-भावे; समासाय = सम्-आस् + ल्यप् — 'having approached/come near'

• सुरालयम्: the abode of the gods
• सुरालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म — 'abode of the gods'

• सहस्राक्ष-मुखान्: Indra-faced (i.e., led by Sahasrākṣa)
• सहस्राक्ष-मुखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः — 'whose faces are (like) Sahasrākṣa (Indra)' i.e., 'Indra-faced' (qualifying देवाः)

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण — 'in battle'

• चक्रे: made, caused
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद-आत्मनेपद?); आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; चक्रे = 'did/made' (perfect)

• पराङ्मुखान्: turned away, facing away
• पराङ्मुखान्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (देवान्) — 'turned away'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic storyteller voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable asura (Vṛtra) advances toward the radiant city of the gods; Indra and the devas recoil as the battle turns against them, banners torn and weapons flashing in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• deva
• sura-ālaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ambition aimed at overpowering divine order (Indra’s sovereignty) is depicted as a turning point that invites cosmic conflict and moral testing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named earthly tīrtha is specified; the “abode of the gods” functions as a mythic location within the chapter’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is martial narrative describing a battle with the gods.