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

Namun bumi dipelihara oleh segelintir Daitya, Dānava dan Rākṣasa itu tidaklah wajar. Apa perlu banyak kata? Bali ialah raja di tiga alam.

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.