Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

दैत्यदानवजैः कैश्चिद्राक्षसैस्तन्न शोभनम् । अथ किं बहुनोक्तेन राजा त्रिभुवने बलिः

Transliteration

daityadānavajaiḥ kaiścidrākṣasaistanna śobhanam | atha kiṃ bahunoktena rājā tribhuvane baliḥ

Translation

‘ചില ദൈത്യ-ദാനവ-രാക്ഷസന്മാരാൽ ധാത്രിയുടെ സംരക്ഷണം ശോഭിക്കുന്നതല്ല. അധികം പറയേണ്ടതെന്ത്? ത്രിഭുവനത്തിലെ രാജാവ് ബലിയേ.’

Word by Word

• दैत्यदानवजैः: by those born of Daityas and Dānavas
• दैत्यदानवजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-दानव-ज (प्रातिपदिक; दैत्य + दानव + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कैश्चित्: by some (persons)
• कैश्चित्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (indefinite: ‘by some’)

• राक्षसैः: by demons (rākṣasas)
• राक्षसैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्: that (thing/situation)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• शोभनम्: auspicious, proper, good
• शोभनम्: Pradhana-visheshana (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• अथ: then, now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• बहुना: with much (talk)
• बहुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘बहु’ इति परिमाणवाचक

• उक्तेन: by what is said; by speech
• उक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वच् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिभुवने: in the three worlds
• त्रिभुवने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + भुवन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• बलिः: Bali (proper name)
• बलिः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Daityas (continuing the quoted speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A climactic proclamation: fierce Daityas and Dānavas dismiss the idea of earth being protected by lesser rākṣasas, then declare Bali as king of the three worlds; Bali is envisioned enthroned with regal splendor, yet with a shadow of impending divine check.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Rākṣasas
• Bali
• Tribhuvana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Legitimacy in rulership is tied to fitness for protection and governance; the narrative asserts Bali’s sovereignty as a settled order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha-kṣetra in Prabhāsa, whose māhātmya includes these cosmopolitical themes to heighten sacred significance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a declaration within a mythic-political discourse.