Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

उलूकाकारतां धृत्वा फूत्कारैरतिदारुणैः । हृदयाकंपनैः कश्चिद्भीषयामास तं ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

ulūkākāratāṃ dhṛtvā phūtkārairatidāruṇaiḥ | hṛdayākaṃpanaiḥ kaścidbhīṣayāmāsa taṃ dhruvam

Translation

Eine eulenartige Gestalt annehmend und mit überaus schrecklichem Zischen, das das Herz erzittern ließ, versuchte jemand, ihn immer wieder zu erschrecken.

Word by Word

• उलूकाकारताम्: the state of having an owl-form
• उलूकाकारताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक + आकारता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उलूकस्य आकारता)

• धृत्वा: having assumed
• धृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive) — having assumed/held

• फूत्कारैः: with hooting/hissing sounds
• फूत्कारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फूत्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• अतिदारुणैः: very dreadful
• अतिदारुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—‘फूत्कारैः’

• हृदयाकम्पनैः: with heart-tremblings
• हृदयाकम्पनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय + आकम्पन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हृदयस्य आकम्पनम्)

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भीषयामास: frightened, terrified
• भीषयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भीष्/भी (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; कारणार्थे—‘भीषयति’ (causative sense)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly; steadfast
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘तम्’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) speaking to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An owl-like being looms in the dark, expelling harsh hissing blasts; the air ripples as the listener’s heart seems to tremble, yet the central figure remains anchored.

Characters & Entities

• Ulūka (owl-form apparition)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual progress in Kāśī includes confronting fear; the verse underscores courage and steadiness amid unsettling signs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) broadly, portrayed as a powerful sacred realm where inner transformation is tested.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed in this verse.