Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

ततश्चेंद्रजयाकांक्षी समासाय सुरालयम् । सहस्राक्षमुखान्देवान्युद्धे चक्रे पराङ्मुखान्

Transliteration

tataśceṃdrajayākāṃkṣī samāsāya surālayam | sahasrākṣamukhāndevānyuddhe cakre parāṅmukhān

Translation

پھر اندرا کو فتح کرنے کی آرزو سے وہ دیوتاؤں کے دھام کی طرف بڑھا، اور جنگ میں ہزار آنکھوں والے اندرا کی قیادت والے دیوتاؤں کو پسپا ہونے پر مجبور کر دیا۔

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — 'thereafter/then'

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

• इन्द्र-जय-आकाङ्क्षी: desiring Indra’s victory
• इन्द्र-जय-आकाङ्क्षी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक) + आकाङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण — 'desiring Indra's victory'

• समासाय: having approached
• समासाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (ल्यप्) अव्यय-भावे; समासाय = सम्-आस् + ल्यप् — 'having approached/come near'

• सुरालयम्: the abode of the gods
• सुरालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म — 'abode of the gods'

• सहस्राक्ष-मुखान्: Indra-faced (i.e., led by Sahasrākṣa)
• सहस्राक्ष-मुखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः — 'whose faces are (like) Sahasrākṣa (Indra)' i.e., 'Indra-faced' (qualifying देवाः)

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण — 'in battle'

• चक्रे: made, caused
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद-आत्मनेपद?); आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; चक्रे = 'did/made' (perfect)

• पराङ्मुखान्: turned away, facing away
• पराङ्मुखान्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (देवान्) — 'turned away'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic storyteller voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable asura (Vṛtra) advances toward the radiant city of the gods; Indra and the devas recoil as the battle turns against them, banners torn and weapons flashing in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• deva
• sura-ālaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ambition aimed at overpowering divine order (Indra’s sovereignty) is depicted as a turning point that invites cosmic conflict and moral testing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named earthly tīrtha is specified; the “abode of the gods” functions as a mythic location within the chapter’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is martial narrative describing a battle with the gods.