Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57
स्वप्रजास्वेक उदितो धूमकेतुरिवापरः । दुर्दमो नाम भूपालः क्षयाया कांड एव हि
svaprajāsveka udito dhūmaketurivāparaḥ | durdamo nāma bhūpālaḥ kṣayāyā kāṃḍa eva hi
தன் குடிகளிடையே புகைக்கோள் போல இன்னொன்று எழுந்தது—துர்தமன் என்னும் அரசன்; அவன் உண்மையிலேயே அழிவின் முன்னறிவிப்பாக இருந்தான்।
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Scene: A dramatic sky over a city: a blazing comet streaks above; below, King Durdama rises among subjects—armored, harsh-eyed—while people recoil; the comet’s tail visually aligns with the king, symbolizing ruin.
FAQs
Adharmic leadership is portrayed as a cosmic ill-omen, signaling collective suffering and the need for dharmic correction.
The storyline is situated within Kāśī-Khaṇḍa, preparing the entry into Kāśī’s sacred forest realm.
None; this is narrative setup describing the king’s character as a harbinger of decline.