Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तच्चेद्राक्षसभावेन स महात्मा विभीषणः । करिष्यति सुरैः सार्धं विरोधं रावणो यथा

Transliteration

taccedrākṣasabhāvena sa mahātmā vibhīṣaṇaḥ | kariṣyati suraiḥ sārdhaṃ virodhaṃ rāvaṇo yathā

Translation

Nhưng nếu bậc đại tâm Vibhīṣaṇa, do khuynh hướng Rākṣasa, lại cùng chư sura mà khởi lòng đối địch với chư thiên—như Rāvaṇa đã từng làm—

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्योपक्रमे ‘तत्’ = ‘that (thing/condition)’

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Clause connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (if)

• rākṣasa-bhāvena: by/with the nature of a rākṣasa
• rākṣasa-bhāvena: Karana/Hetu (Means/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘राक्षसस्य भावः’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mahātmā: the great-souled one
• mahātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘महान् आत्मा’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; vibhīṣaṇaḥ इति समानाधिकरण

• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Vibhīṣaṇa
• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kariṣyati: will do / will make
• kariṣyati: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• suraiḥ: with the gods
• suraiḥ: Sahakārī (Associate/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Sahārtha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (with/together with)

• virodham: opposition, conflict
• virodham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rāvaṇaḥ: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇaḥ: Upamāna/Dr̥ṣṭānta (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Upamā (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/like)

Speaker

Rāma (contextual continuation of concern for Vibhīṣaṇa’s future conduct)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Laṅkā (as a realm requiring dhārmic stabilization)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (contextual) māhātmya listener

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma’s inner apprehension visualized: Vibhīṣaṇa as noble yet shadowed by rākṣasa lineage; devas in the background as potential adversaries; Rāvaṇa’s silhouette as cautionary memory.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Devas
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the virtuous must guard against inherited tendencies; dharma requires foresight and preventive guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on ethical risk and responsibility.