Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अथ तस्य महीभर्तुर्बभूवुः शाल्वभूभुजः । शत्रवश्चोद्धतबला दुर्मर्षणपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

atha tasya mahībharturbabhūvuḥ śālvabhūbhujaḥ | śatravaścoddhatabalā durmarṣaṇapurogamāḥ

Translation

پھر اس زمین کے مالک کے مقابل شالوَ کے راجے دشمن بن گئے—اپنی قوت کے غرور میں سرکش، اور ناقابلِ برداشت دُرمرشن کی قیادت میں۔

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (connector/sequence marker)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• महीभर्तुः: of the ruler of the earth
• महीभर्तुः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम् (singular)

• बभूवुः: arose, came to be
• बभूवुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• शाल्वभूभुजः: kings of the Śālvas
• शाल्वभूभुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व + भूभुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• शत्रवः: enemies
• शत्रवः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• उद्धतबलाः: having arrogant/overbearing strength
• उद्धतबलाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्धत + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• दुर्मर्षणपुरोगमाः: led by Durmarṣaṇa
• दुर्मर्षणपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्मर्षण + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A darkening horizon: Śālva kings in martial assembly, banners raised; Durmarṣaṇa at the fore, faces proud; Vidarbha scouts reporting to Satyaratha.

Characters & Entities

• Śālva
• Durmarṣaṇa
• Satyaratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride in power breeds hostility; adharma tends to gather around arrogant leadership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this verse introduces antagonists rather than a sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative setup for impending battle.