Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एवं कोलाहले जाते राष्ट्रनाशे च दारुणे । राजपुत्रोऽथ भद्रायुस्तद्वार्तामशृणोद्बली

Transliteration

evaṃ kolāhale jāte rāṣṭranāśe ca dāruṇe | rājaputro'tha bhadrāyustadvārtāmaśṛṇodbalī

Translation

Tatkala hiruk-pikuk demikian tercetus dan kebinasaan negeri yang dahsyat berlaku, putera raja yang gagah, Bhadrāyu, mendengar khabar itu.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• कोलाहले: in the tumult
• कोलाहले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोलाहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — 'in the uproar'

• जाते: having arisen; when it arose
• जाते: Sati-saptami (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/सप्तमी-एकवचन (locative absolute with कोलाहले): 'when (it) had arisen'

• राष्ट्रनाशे: in the ruin of the kingdom
• राष्ट्रनाशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — 'in the destruction of the kingdom'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• दारुणे: terrible
• दारुणे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — 'terrible' (agreeing with राष्ट्रनाशे)

• राजपुत्रः: the prince
• राजपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — 'king's son/prince'

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

• भद्रायुः: Bhadrāyu
• भद्रायुः: Karta (Apposition to subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्रायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — proper name

• तद्वार्ताम्: that news
• तद्वार्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + वार्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'that news'

• अशृणोत्: heard
• अशृणोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — 'he heard'

• बली: strong; mighty
• बली: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — 'strong' (qualifying prince)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice, traditionally Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A breathless messenger reports the kingdom’s ruin; Bhadrāyu, strong and alert, rises amid a tense court as distant smoke and cries suggest chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Bhadrāyu
• Rāja-putra (prince)
• Rāṣṭra (kingdom)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic response begins with hearing truthfully and taking responsibility when society falls into disorder.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this is narrative transition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.