Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

अहिदंष्ट्र इति ख्यातो महादैत्यो बलोत्कटः । युक्तः स्थूलशिरोनामा सहायेन दुरात्मना

Transliteration

ahidaṃṣṭra iti khyāto mahādaityo balotkaṭaḥ | yuktaḥ sthūlaśironāmā sahāyena durātmanā

Translation

అహిదంష్ట్ర అని ప్రసిద్ధుడైన ఆ మహాదైత్యుడు అపారబలవంతుడు. స్థూలశిరః అనే దురాత్మ సహాయకుడితో అతడు కలిసిపోయాడు.

Word by Word

• अहिदंष्ट्रः: Ahidaṃṣṭra (snake-fanged one)
• अहिदंष्ट्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि + दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अहेः दंष्ट्रा यस्य/अहिदंष्ट्रः)

• इति: thus, by the name
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-निर्देशक (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: known, famed
• ख्यातः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महादैत्यः: a great demon
• महादैत्यः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् दैत्यः)

• बलोत्कटः: exceedingly strong
• बलोत्कटः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल + उत्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (बलेन उत्कटः/बलोत्कटः)

• युक्तः: joined/associated, accompanied
• युक्तः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्थूलशिरोनामा: (one) named Sthūlaśiras
• स्थूलशिरोनामा: Sahakārī (Companion/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थूल + शिरस् + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (स्थूलं शिरो यस्य नाम/स्थूलशिरोनामा = ‘one named Sthūlaśiras’)

• सहायेन: with a companion/ally
• सहायेन: Sahakāraka (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुरात्मना: with an evil-minded one
• दुरात्मना: Sahakāraka (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारयः (दुष्ट आत्मा यस्य/दुरात्मा)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Brahmakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serpent-fanged daitya ‘Ahidaṃṣṭra’ stands with exaggerated fangs and coiled-serpent motifs; beside him the heavy-headed ‘Sthūlaśiras’—a grim counselor—both framed as looming threats.

Characters & Entities

• Ahidaṃṣṭra
• Sthūlaśiras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Evil gains momentum through alliances; dharma warns against joining hands with the durātman (evil-minded).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setukhaṇḍa’s overarching frame is the Setu sacred region, but this verse focuses on identifying antagonists.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a character-introduction verse.