Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ततः समभवद्युद्धं देवानां दानवैः सह । रोषप्रेरितचित्तानां मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम्

Transliteration

tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ devānāṃ dānavaiḥ saha | roṣapreritacittānāṃ mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam

Translation

ତାପରେ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ଦାନବମାନଙ୍କର ଯୁଦ୍ଧ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହେଲା। କ୍ରୋଧପ୍ରେରିତ ଚିତ୍ତ ଥିବା ସେମାନେ, ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଘଟାଇ ପରେ ମାତ୍ର ପଛକୁ ଫେରିଲେ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = thereafter

• samabhavat: arose, happened
• samabhavat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (Imperfect, 3rd person singular)

• yuddham: battle
• yuddham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg. neut.); अत्र कर्तृस्थानीयं/विषयः (subject-complement)

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural, masc.)

• dānavaiḥ: with the Dānavas
• dānavaiḥ: Sahakari (Co-agent/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, masc.)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सहकारार्थक-निपात) = with/together with

• roṣa-prerita-cittānām: of those whose minds were impelled by anger
• roṣa-prerita-cittānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + prerita (कृदन्त; pra-√īr/√prer) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः ‘रोषेण प्रेरितानि चित्तानि येषाम्’; पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम् (Gen. pl. masc.)

• mṛtyum: death
• mṛtyum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Acc. sg. masc.)

• kṛtvā: having made, having caused
• kṛtvā: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-कृदन्तम् (gerund): ‘कृत्वा’ = having made/done

• nivartanam: withdrawal, turning back
• nivartanam: Karma (Result/कर्म-फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivartana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg. neut.); ‘मृत्युं कृत्वा’ इत्यस्य फलम् (result)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce battlefield between devas and dānavas; faces contorted by anger, weapons flashing; the turning back occurs only after death has been dealt—suggesting a grim cessation rather than celebration.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Dānavas
• Yuddha (battle)
• Mṛtyu (death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text depicts the harsh consequence of adharma: conflict escalates to destruction, underscoring the need for restoration of rightful order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues the celestial battle narrative connected to the shrine’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the outbreak and severity of war.