Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

अथ संत्यज्य मंथानं मंदरं वासुकिं तथा । अमृतार्थेऽभवद्युद्धं दैत्यानां विबुधैः सह

Transliteration

atha saṃtyajya maṃthānaṃ maṃdaraṃ vāsukiṃ tathā | amṛtārthe'bhavadyuddhaṃ daityānāṃ vibudhaiḥ saha

Translation

பின்னர் மத்தனக் கருவியான மந்தரமலையும் வாசுகியையும் விட்டு, அமிர்தத்தை நாடி தைத்யர்களுக்கும் தேவர்களுக்கும் போர் எழுந்தது।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: मङ्गल/अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (indeclinable: then/now)

• संत्यज्य: having abandoned
• संत्यज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• मन्थानम्: the churning staff/rod
• मन्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• मन्दरम्: Mount Mandara
• मन्दरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• वासुकिम्: Vāsuki (serpent)
• वासुकिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/प्रकारबोधक (indeclinable: likewise/also)

• अमृतार्थे: for the sake of nectar
• अमृतार्थे: Nimitta/Hetu (Purpose/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular); समासः: अमृतस्य अर्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अभवत्: arose, happened
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• दैत्यानाम्: of the demons
• दैत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• विबुधैः: with the gods
• विबुधैः: Sahakari (Co-agent/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (Association/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगबोधक-अव्यय (indeclinable postposition: with)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-type narration within Māhātmya frame)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (implicit continuation of address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mandara and Vāsuki are set aside; the ocean still churns with residual turbulence; devas and daityas turn from cooperation to armed confrontation, banners raised, weapons drawn for the nectar.

Characters & Entities

• Mandara
• Vāsuki
• Daityas
• Vibudhas (Devas)
• Amṛta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unrestrained craving—even for immortality—breeds conflict; dharma requires right means, not merely lofty ends.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as mythic context within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is narrative (kathā) rather than prescriptive (vidhi).