Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

भल्लैर्वेतसपत्रैश्च शुकतुंडैश्च निर्मलैः । वृष्टिभिश्चाद्भुताकारैर्गगनं समपद्यत

Transliteration

bhallairvetasapatraiśca śukatuṃḍaiśca nirmalaiḥ | vṛṣṭibhiścādbhutākārairgaganaṃ samapadyata

Translation

Mit Bhalla-Pfeilen, mit schilfblattgleichen Schäften, mit makellosen „Papageienschnabel“-Pfeilen und mit wundersam geformten Pfeilschauern, die herabregneten, wurde selbst der Himmel erfüllt und gleichsam eingenommen.

Word by Word

• भल्लैः: with arrows/darts
• भल्लैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• वेतसपत्रैः: with willow-leaves
• वेतसपत्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतस (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेतसस्य पत्राणि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शुकतुंडैः: with parrot-beaks
• शुकतुंडैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक) + तुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शुकस्य तुण्डानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निर्मलैः: pure/clean
• निर्मलैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; विशेषण (qualifying the instruments)

• वृष्टिभिः: with showers/rains
• वृष्टिभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अद्भुताकारैः: with wondrous forms
• अद्भुताकारैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; कर्मधारय (अद्भुतः आकारः यस्य)

• गगनम्: the sky
• गगनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• समपद्यत: became/turned into
• समपद्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √पद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast sky choked with layered arrow-rain: bhalla arrows, reed-leaf shafts, and ‘parrot-beak’ (śukatuṇḍa) arrows, forming patterned, wondrous volleys that seem to seize the firmament.

Characters & Entities

• Bhalla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When violence intensifies, even the heavens seem obscured—symbolizing how adharma darkens perception.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.