Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

आसीद्बलाहकोनाम रुद्रभक्तो महाबलः । आखेटकसमायुक्तो नृपः परपुरंजयः

Transliteration

āsīdbalāhakonāma rudrabhakto mahābalaḥ | ākheṭakasamāyukto nṛpaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ

Translation

وہاں بلہاک نام کا ایک راجا تھا—رُدر کا بھکت اور نہایت زورآور—جو شکار میں مشغول رہتا اور دشمنوں کے شہروں کو فتح کرنے والا تھا۔

Word by Word

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Existence/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बलाहकः: Balāhaka (name)
• बलाहकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (नामनिर्देशक particle: ‘by name’)

• रुद्रभक्तः: a devotee of Rudra
• रुद्रभक्तः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रुद्रस्य भक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (बलाहकः)

• महाबलः: very strong; mighty
• महाबलः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महद् बलम् यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (बलाहकः)

• आखेटकसमायुक्तः: engaged in hunting
• आखेटकसमायुक्तः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आखेटक (प्रातिपदिक) + समायुक्त (प्रातिपदिक/क्तान्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आखेटकेन समायुक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (नृपः)

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• परपुरंजयः: conqueror of enemy cities
• परपुरंजयः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (परस्य पुरस्य जयः/जयी); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (नृपः)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration; speaker not re-stated in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Govatsa-tīrtha (narrative vicinity)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A strong king Balāhaka, armed with bow and accompanied by hunters, moves through a forest near the sacred ford; despite martial vigor, signs of Rudra-bhakti appear—tripuṇḍra, rudrākṣa, or a small liṅga emblem—foreshadowing a devotional turn.

Characters & Entities

• Balāhaka
• Rudra
• King (Nṛpa)
• Hunting (Ākheṭaka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrtha-legends often begin with worldly power and action, then turn toward revelation—showing how devotion can redirect a ruler’s life.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Govatsa-tīrtha narrative sequence within Dharmāraṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse introduces the main human protagonist whose actions lead into the tīrtha’s māhātmya.