Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तत्र द्वौ तनयौ यौ च दितेस्तौ विष्णुना हतौ । हिरण्यकशिपुर्वीरो हिरण्याक्षस्तथाऽपरः

Transliteration

tatra dvau tanayau yau ca ditestau viṣṇunā hatau | hiraṇyakaśipurvīro hiraṇyākṣastathā'paraḥ

Translation

అక్కడ దితి యొక్క ఇద్దరు కుమారులు విష్ణువిచే సంహరింపబడ్డారు—వీరుడు హిరణ్యకశిపుడు, మరొకడు హిరణ్యాక్షుడు।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb of place

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन — masculine nominative dual (numeral adjective)

• तनयौ: sons
• तनयौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन — masculine nominative dual

• यौ: who (two)
• यौ: Anvayi (Relative connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन — relative pronoun, masculine nominative dual

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक निपात) — conjunction

• दितेः: of Diti
• दितेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — feminine genitive singular

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन — demonstrative pronoun, masculine nominative dual

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — masculine instrumental singular

• हतौ: slain
• हतौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन — past passive participle used predicatively: “were slain”

• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + कशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/नामधारय): “हिरण्यस्य कशिपुः” (golden couch)

• वीरः: hero
• वीरः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular (apposition)

• हिरण्याक्षः: Hiraṇyākṣa
• हिरण्याक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; समासः (तत्पुरुष): “हिरण्यं अक्षि यस्य” (golden-eyed) (नामरूपेण)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb

• अपरः: the other
• अपरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular (qualifier/apposition)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compact tableau of Viṣṇu as avatāra-slayer: the fall of Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa implied, with daitya regalia and battlefield aura; gods witnessing restoration of order.

Characters & Entities

• Diti
• Viṣṇu
• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Hiraṇyākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma rises through unchecked power, the divine upholds cosmic balance, illustrating dharma’s ultimate protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; it recounts mythic history.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates events and identities.