Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

दानवेंद्रैर्नवांभोदसच्छायैः सर्वथोत्कटैः । यथा हि पुरुषं घोरैरभाग्यैरर्थकांक्षिभिः

Transliteration

dānaveṃdrairnavāṃbhodasacchāyaiḥ sarvathotkaṭaiḥ | yathā hi puruṣaṃ ghorairabhāgyairarthakāṃkṣibhiḥ

Translation

नव्या पावसाळी मेघांसारख्या श्यामछटेचे, सर्वथा उग्र अशा दानवेंद्रांनी इंद्राला जसा छळला, तसाच धनाची आस धरणारी भयंकर दुर्भाग्ये पुरुषाला सर्व बाजूंनी घेरतात।

Word by Word

• दानवेन्द्रैः: by the lords of the Dānavas
• दानवेन्द्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानवेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) = दानव + इन्द्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन; तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• नव-अम्भोद-सत्-छायैः: having the fresh cloud-like true shadow/complexion
• नव-अम्भोद-सत्-छायैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भोद (प्रातिपदिक) + सत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective qualifying दानवेन्द्रैः)

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• उत्कटैः: fierce, formidable
• उत्कटैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective qualifying दानवेन्द्रैः)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/उदाहरणार्थे (comparative particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• पुरुषम्: a man
• पुरुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective qualifying अभाग्यैः/अर्थकाङ्क्षिभिः)

• अभाग्यैः: by misfortunes
• अभाग्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• अर्थ-काङ्क्षिभिः: by those desiring gain/wealth
• अर्थ-काङ्क्षिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural; ‘desiring wealth’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mass of towering Dānava kings, cloud-dark and ferocious, press upon the devas; the atmosphere is stormy, heavy, and oppressive, visually echoing ‘misfortune’ as a living assailant.

Characters & Entities

• Dānavas
• Dānava-indras (Daitya/Dānava leaders)
• Indra (implied context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma advances like misfortune driven by greed; spiritual steadiness and divine refuge are the antidote.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse uses a moral simile within a war narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.