Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

अस्मन्नाशाय मुनिभिर्वालखिल्यैः प्रजापते । प्रोद्यमो विहितः सम्यक्छक्रस्यान्यस्य वै कृते

Transliteration

asmannāśāya munibhirvālakhilyaiḥ prajāpate | prodyamo vihitaḥ samyakchakrasyānyasya vai kṛte

Translation

“اے پرجاپتی (دکش)، والکھلیہ مُنیوں نے ہماری ہلاکت کے لیے باقاعدہ تدبیر چلا دی ہے—درحقیقت یہ کسی دوسرے اِندر (شکر) کے لیے کیا جا رہا ہے۔”

Word by Word

• अस्मत्-नाशाय: for our destruction
• अस्मत्-नाशाय: Sampradana/Prayojana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the purpose/result)

• मुनिभिः: by sages
• मुनिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• वालखिल्यैः: by the Vālakhilyas
• वालखिल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालखिल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• प्रजापते: O Prajāpati
• प्रजापते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्र-उद्यमः: an undertaking/effort
• प्र-उद्यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + उद्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विहितः: has been arranged/ordained
• विहितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• शक्रस्य: of Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रस्य: Sambandha (Possession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अन्यस्य: of another
• अन्यस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/खल्वर्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कृते: for the sake (of)
• कृते: Nimitta/Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (in the matter of/for the sake of)

Speaker

Indra (speaking to Dakṣa, inferred from immediate narrative context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra speaks to Dakṣa with urgency: gestures toward himself and the devas, indicating collective danger; in the background, a faint symbolic shadow of a 'new Indra' (anyaḥ śakraḥ) is suggested—an empty throne or a second crown—signifying impending replacement.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa (Prajāpati)
• Vālakhilya sages
• Indra (Śakra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas and mantra in the hands of sages are depicted as world-ordering powers; leadership without humility can invite lawful correction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative frame; it does not specify a named tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An organized ‘undertaking’ (prodyama) by the Vālakhilyas is referenced, implying a sustained rite/tapas aimed at installing another Śakra.