Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4
Devanagari script
नास्ति सेनापतिः कश्चिद्देवानां सुरसत्तम । नीयन्ते दानवैर्घोरैः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः
Transliteration
nāsti senāpatiḥ kaściddevānāṃ surasattama | nīyante dānavairghoraiḥ sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ
Translation
噢天众之最尊者啊，诸神并无统帅；因此一切天神——连因陀罗在内——都被可怖的达那瓦所压制并驱逐。
Word by Word
नnot
न:
Nipata (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)
अस्तिthere is
अस्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√अस् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
सेनापतिःcommander (general)
सेनापतिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसेना-पति (प्रातिपदिक; सेना + पति)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
कश्चित्anyone
कश्चित्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun)
देवानाम्of the gods
देवानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन
सुरसत्तमO best of gods
सुरसत्तम:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + सत्तम)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन
नीयन्तेare being carried off/led away
नीयन्ते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनी (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (are being led away)
दानवैःby the Dānavas (demons)
दानवैः:
Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदानव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
घोरैःterrible
घोरैः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (दानवैः इति)
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (देवाः इति)
देवाःthe gods
देवाः:
Karma (Patient in passive/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
सवासवाःtogether with Indra
सवासवाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस-वासव (प्रातिपदिक; स + वासव)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (देवाः इति); ‘वासव’ = इन्द्र, ‘सवासव’ = ‘with Indra’
Speaker
Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating)
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira
Visual Art Cues
Scene: The gods, led by Indra, appear harried and displaced, pursued by grim Dānavas; the absence of a commander is felt as disarray—foreshadowing Skanda’s appointment.
Characters & Entities
T
the DevasD
DānavasI
Indra (Vāsava)FAQs
Without rightful leadership and dharmic strength, even divine powers can be shaken—hence the need for a protector who restores order.
None directly; this is narrative groundwork leading to Skanda’s manifestation and related tīrtha greatness.
None.