Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततः कालेन महता रामरूपी जनार्दनः । रावणस्य वधार्थाय जातो दशरथालये

Transliteration

tataḥ kālena mahatā rāmarūpī janārdanaḥ | rāvaṇasya vadhārthāya jāto daśarathālaye

Translation

ततः कालेन महता जनार्दनः रामरूपधृक्। रावणवधार्थं दशरथालये जातः॥

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• कालेन: by (the passage of) time
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन = Instrumental singular; ‘कालेन’ = by time/after time

• महता: great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन = Instrumental singular; विशेषणम् ‘कालेन’

• रामरूपी: having the form of Rāma
• रामरूपी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राम-रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक; राम + रूपिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन = Nominative singular; विशेषणम् ‘जनार्दनः’

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन = Nominative singular

• रावणस्य: of Rāvaṇa
• रावणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन = Genitive singular

• वधार्थाय: for (his) killing
• वधार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; वध + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन = Dative singular; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose)

• जातः: was born
• जातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थे: उत्पन्नः/अभवत् (was born)

• दशरथालये: in Daśaratha’s palace/house
• दशरथालये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ-आलय (प्रातिपदिक; दशरथ + आलय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन = Locative singular; स्थानवाचक (in the abode/house)

Speaker

Narrative voice (Unspecified in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Time passes; then the divine event: Janārdana is born as Rāma in Daśaratha’s palace, destined to destroy Rāvaṇa—an epic, luminous birth scene.

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Daśaratha
• Ayodhyā (implied by Daśaratha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord incarnates to protect dharma: divine descent occurs to remove oppressive evil and restore righteous order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā is implied through Daśaratha’s house, but the verse is primarily avatāra-focused within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated in this verse.