Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

शंकुकर्णं कृशास्यं च ऊर्ध्वकेशं भयानकम् । देवानां नाशनार्थाय मानुषाणां विशेषतः । आकृष्टं दानवेंद्रेण मंत्रैः शुक्रप्रदर्शितैः । अवध्यं सर्वशस्त्राणामस्त्राणां च विशेषतः

Transliteration

śaṃkukarṇaṃ kṛśāsyaṃ ca ūrdhvakeśaṃ bhayānakam | devānāṃ nāśanārthāya mānuṣāṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ | ākṛṣṭaṃ dānaveṃdreṇa maṃtraiḥ śukrapradarśitaiḥ | avadhyaṃ sarvaśastrāṇāmastrāṇāṃ ca viśeṣataḥ

Translation

அதற்கு முள் போன்ற காதுகள், ஒல்லியான முகம், மேலே நிமிர்ந்த கூந்தல்—மிக அச்சமூட்டுவது. தேவர்களை அழிக்கவும், குறிப்பாக மனிதர்களை நாசம் செய்யவும் அது வரவழைக்கப்பட்டது. சுக்ரர் கற்றுத்தந்த மந்திரங்களால் தானவத் தலைவன் அதை அழைத்தான்; அது எல்லா ஆயுதங்களாலும், குறிப்பாக தெய்வ அஸ்திரங்களாலும் கூட கொல்ல இயலாதது.

Word by Word

• śaṃku-karṇam: having cone-like ears
• śaṃku-karṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṃku (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; समासः (तत्पुरुषः)

• kṛśa-āsyam: thin-faced
• kṛśa-āsyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; कर्मधारय-समासः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — Indeclinable (conjunction)

• ūrdhva-keśam: with hair standing upright
• ūrdhva-keśam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + keśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; कर्मधारय-समासः

• bhayānakam: terrifying
• bhayānakam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhayānaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• nāśana-arthāya: for the destruction
• nāśana-arthāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśana (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular; समासः (तत्पुरुषः)

• mānuṣāṇām: of humans
• mānuṣāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — Indeclinable (adverb)

• ākṛṣṭam: drawn forth / summoned
• ākṛṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā√kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — PPP, Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• dānava-indreṇa: by the lord of the Dānavas
• dānava-indreṇa: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; समासः (तत्पुरुषः)

• mantraiḥ: with mantras
• mantraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• śukra-pradarśitaiḥ: shown by Śukra
• śukra-pradarśitaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukra (प्रातिपदिक) + pradarśita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; समासः (तत्पुरुषः: शुक्रेण प्रदर्शित)

• avadhyam: invulnerable / not to be slain
• avadhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vadhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• sarva-śastrāṇām: of all weapons
• sarva-śastrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Neuter, Genitive, Plural; कर्मधारय-समासः

• astrāṇām: of missiles / astras
• astrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — Indeclinable (conjunction)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — Indeclinable (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying, gaunt, spike-eared being with hair standing upright is shown as a daitya-king performs mantra-summoning taught by Śukra; the creature radiates invulnerability, defying weapons and astras.

Characters & Entities

• Śukra (Śukrācārya)
• Dānava-indra (lord of the Dānavas)
• Devas
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power gained through mantra and hostility becomes a threat to cosmic order; the Purāṇas contrast such misuse with dharmic worship that protects and restores harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s tīrtha (Vāstupada) is the implied setting; this verse supplies the mythic cause that later justifies special worship there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; the verse mentions mantras as a narrative device (summoning), not as a recommended practice.