Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अथ कालप्रभोनाम दानवो बलगर्वितः । स शक्रं पुरतो दृष्ट्वा वज्रोच्छ्रितकरं स्थितम् । प्रोवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं मेघगम्भीरनिःस्वनः

Transliteration

atha kālaprabhonāma dānavo balagarvitaḥ | sa śakraṃ purato dṛṣṭvā vajrocchritakaraṃ sthitam | provāca prahasanvākyaṃ meghagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ

Translation

پھر کال پرَبھا نامی ایک دانَو، قوت کے غرور سے پھولا ہوا، سامنے شَکر (اِندر) کو دیکھ کر—جو بجلی کے ہتھیار (وَجر) کو تھامے بازو بلند کیے کھڑا تھا—ٹھٹھا کر کے بولا؛ اس کی آواز بادلوں کی گرج جیسی گہری تھی۔

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘then’

• kālaprabhaḥ: Kālaprabha
• kālaprabhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; proper name ‘Kālaprabha’

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-निपात; indeclinable ‘by name’

• dānavaḥ: a Dānava (demon)
• dānavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; apposition to kālaprabhaḥ

• balagarvitaḥ: proud of his strength
• balagarvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bala + garvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘proud of strength’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; pronoun referring to Kālaprabha

• śakram: Śakra (Indra)
• śakram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; object of dṛṣṭvā

• purataḥ: in front
• purataḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय; adverb ‘in front’

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (धातु) → dṛṣṭvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) ‘having seen’

• vajrocchritakaram: with hand raised holding the thunderbolt
• vajrocchritakaram: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra + ucchrita + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies śakram: ‘whose hand is raised with the thunderbolt’

• sthitam: standing
• sthitam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies śakram ‘standing’

• provāca: spoke
• provāca: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada; ‘said/spoke forth’

• prahasan: laughing
• prahasan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + has (धातु) → prahasan (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘laughing’ (agreeing with saḥ)

• vākyam: words, a speech
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; object of provāca

• meghagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ: with a cloud-deep roar/voice
• meghagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: megha + gambhīra + niḥsvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘having a sound deep like thunderclouds’ (qualifies saḥ)

Speaker

Kālaprabha (Dānava)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kālaprabha, towering and armored, laughs mockingly; Indra stands firm, vajra raised, poised for strike; stormclouds echo the asura’s thunderous voice.

Characters & Entities

• Kālaprabha
• Śakra (Indra)
• Vajra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bala-garva (arrogance of power) leads to derision and downfall; dharma requires humility even amid strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of the narrative context within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse introduces a combat dialogue.