Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

छिद्यमानच्छदाः सर्वे वासवेन महीधराः । अनन्यशरणा भूत्वा समुद्रं प्राविशन्भयात्

Transliteration

chidyamānacchadāḥ sarve vāsavena mahīdharāḥ | ananyaśaraṇā bhūtvā samudraṃ prāviśanbhayāt

Translation

Als Vāsava (Indra) ihnen die Flügel abschnitt, gingen alle Berge—ohne andere Zuflucht—aus Furcht in den Ozean ein.

Word by Word

• छिद्यमानच्छदाः: whose coverings (wings) were being cut
• छिद्यमानच्छदाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद्यमान (कृदन्त; छिद् धातु) + छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय (छिद्यमानाः छदाः येषाम्/छिद्यमान-छदाः) विशेषण (महीधराः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (महीधराः)

• वासवेन: by Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवेन: Karana (Agent/instrument in passive sense/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महीधराः: mountains
• महीधराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अनन्यशरणाः: having no other refuge
• अनन्यशरणाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (अन्यं न शरणं येषाम्) विशेषण (महीधराः)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• समुद्रम्: the ocean
• समुद्रम्: Karma (Goal/object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राविशन्: entered
• प्राविशन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपद; Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Samudra-tīrtha (contextual, not explicitly named here)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Wingless or wounded mountains, terrified, sliding and plunging into the ocean; Indra above still poised; waves rise as the mountains disappear beneath the waters.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Vāsava)
• Ocean (Samudra)
• Mountains (Mahīdharāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When pride is broken, even the mighty seek refuge—Purāṇas frame this as a return to order and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The oceanic setting anticipates Setu-region tīrthas; the verse itself does not name a specific ford.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.