Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

उद्यन्मत्स्यो महानक्रशंखशुक्तिसमाकुलः । क्वचिदौर्वानलाक्रांतः फेनवानतिभीषणः

Transliteration

udyanmatsyo mahānakraśaṃkhaśuktisamākulaḥ | kvacidaurvānalākrāṃtaḥ phenavānatibhīṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Der Ozean wogte mit emporschnellenden Fischen, dicht erfüllt von riesigen Krokodilen, Muschelhörnern und Austern; mancherorts schien er vom unterseeischen Feuer der ṛṣi ergriffen, und er schäumte — furchtbar anzusehen.

Word by Word

• उद्यन्: rising, leaping up
• उद्यन्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + यत् (धातु) → उद्यत्/उद्यन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (present active participle, masculine nominative singular)

• मत्स्यः: fish
• मत्स्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• महानक्रशंखशुक्तिसमाकुलः: crowded with great crocodiles, conches, and oysters
• महानक्रशंखशुक्तिसमाकुलः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महानक्र + शंख + शुक्ति + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निर्देश/सम्बन्ध: ‘महानक्र-शंख-शुक्तिभिः समाकुलः’); विशेषण (masculine nominative singular; tatpuruṣa compound)

• क्वचित्: in some places; sometimes
• क्वचित्: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—काल/देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: ‘somewhere/sometimes’)

• और्वानलाक्रांतः: overwhelmed by the submarine fire (Aurva’s fire)
• और्वानलाक्रांतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: और्वानल + आक्रान्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘और्वानलेन आक्रान्तः’); विशेषण (past passive participle; masculine nominative singular)

• फेनवान्: foamy
• फेनवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फेनवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• अतिभीषणः: extremely terrifying
• अतिभीषणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘अतिशयेन भीषणः’); विशेषण (masculine nominative singular)

Speaker

Narrator (context: Rāma’s party observing the ocean; explicit speaker not stated in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-tīrtha / Setubandha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (implied) audience of sages/disciples

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A storm-tossed ocean packed with leaping fish, massive crocodiles, conches and oysters; patches of ominous glow suggesting submarine fire; white foam crests under a darkened sky.

Characters & Entities

• Samudra (Ocean)
• Aurvānala (submarine fire)
• Nakra (crocodile)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma’s path may appear formidable, yet the righteous confront fear with clarity and resolve.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu region (Setukhaṇḍa context), pointing toward the sacred Setu/Rāmeśvaram landscape, though this verse mainly describes the ocean itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a vivid descriptive passage (varṇana) of the sea.