Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

नीलांजननिभो दैत्यो निहतश्चांतकः पुरा । तस्य रोदयिता स्त्रीणां नीलरुद्रस्ततः स्मृतः

Transliteration

nīlāṃjananibho daityo nihataścāṃtakaḥ purā | tasya rodayitā strīṇāṃ nīlarudrastataḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

പൂർവ്വകാലത്ത് നീലാഞ്ജനനിഭമായ ‘അന്തക’ എന്ന ദൈത്യൻ വധിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. സ്ത്രീകളുടെ വിലാപത്തിന് കാരണമായതിനാൽ അവൻ ‘നീലരുദ്രൻ’ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• नीलाञ्जननिभः: resembling blue collyrium
• नीलाञ्जननिभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नीलाञ्जनस्य निभः = सदृशः)

• दैत्यः: the demon
• दैत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + √हन् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• अन्तकः: Antaka (name)
• अन्तकः: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषनाम

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रोदयिता: one who made (others) weep
• रोदयिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √रुद् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + तृ (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त—तृ (agent noun), णिजन्त—‘रोदयति’ (causes to weep)

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• नीलरुद्रः: Nīlarudra (Blue Rudra)
• नीलरुद्रः: Karta (Predicate nominative/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (नीलः रुद्रः)

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Hetu/Anantara (Reason/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ (therefore/thereupon)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/called
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘is remembered/called’

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nīlarudra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark, collyrium-blue demon (Antaka) lies slain; women in the background lament, while a fierce yet compassionate Rudra presence sanctifies the scene, explaining the epithet ‘Nīlarudra’.

Characters & Entities

• Antaka (Daitya)
• Nīlarudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic place-names preserve moral memory: destructive forces are subdued, and their legacy becomes a marker within sacred geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Nīlarudra, whose name is explained through a local Purāṇic legend connected to Antaka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse provides a naming/legendary explanation.