Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 89
Devanagari script
शंबरास्त्रं क्षणाच्चक्रे तेषांरूपविपर्ययम् । देवानां दानवं रूपं दानवानां च दैविकम्
Transliteration
śaṃbarāstraṃ kṣaṇāccakre teṣāṃrūpaviparyayam | devānāṃ dānavaṃ rūpaṃ dānavānāṃ ca daivikam
Translation
In einem Augenblick bewirkte die Śambara-Waffe eine Umkehr ihrer Gestalten: Die Götter erschienen in dämonischer Gestalt, und die Dämonen in göttlicher Form.
Word by Word
śaṃbarāstramthe Śambara-weapon
śaṃbarāstram:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśaṃbara (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः
kṣaṇātin a moment
kṣaṇāt:
Apadana (Ablative/source; temporal)
TypeNoun
Rootkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन
cakremade / caused
cakre:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (कृ धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
teṣāmof them
teṣām:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Roottad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
rūpaviparyayama reversal of forms
rūpaviparyayam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootrūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + viparyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रूपस्य विपर्ययः)
devānāmof the gods
devānām:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन
dānavamdemonic / of the Dānavas
dānavam:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdānava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with rūpam)
rūpamform
rūpam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootrūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
dānavānāmof the Dānavas
dānavānām:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootdānava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (conjunctive/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय
daivikamdivine
daivikam:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdaivika (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with rūpam, understood)
Speaker
Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Pāṇḍuputra
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A sudden magical inversion: devas take on asuric features (dark, fierce), while asuras appear radiant and divine; confusion spreads across the battlefield.
Characters & Entities
Ś
Śambara-astraD
DevasD
DānavasFAQs
Māyā can invert appearances; dharma depends on inner discernment rather than outward form.
No tīrtha is described; the verse teaches discernment through a battle-illusion episode.
None.