Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 111

Devanagari script

ततश्चाशीविषो घोरोऽभवत्फणसमाकुलः । विषनिःश्वासनिर्दग्धसुरसैन्यमहारथः

Transliteration

tataścāśīviṣo ghoro'bhavatphaṇasamākulaḥ | viṣaniḥśvāsanirdagdhasurasainyamahārathaḥ

Translation

Da wurde er zu einer schrecklichen, todbringenden Schlange, deren viele Hauben sich erhoben; und mit giftigem Atem versengte er die großen Wagenkrieger im Heere der Götter.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Discourse link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — अनन्तरबोधक

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• āśīviṣaḥ: a venomous serpent
• āśīviṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ghoraḥ: terrible
• ghoraḥ: Karta-anvaya (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of āśīviṣaḥ)

• abhavat: became
• abhavat: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः ‘a-’ (augment)

• phaṇa-samākulaḥ: filled with (many) hoods
• phaṇa-samākulaḥ: Karta-anvaya (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + samākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः — ‘फणैः समाकुलः’ (crowded with hoods)

• viṣa-niḥśvāsa-nirdagdha-sura-sainya-mahārathaḥ: the great warrior who scorched the gods’ army with poisonous breath
• viṣa-niḥśvāsa-nirdagdha-sura-sainya-mahārathaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + niḥśvāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + nirdagdha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from nis-√dah) + sura (प्रातिपदिक) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक) + mahāratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘विषनिःश्वासेन निर्दग्धं सुरसैन्यं येन सः महārathaḥ’ (a great warrior who burned the gods’ army with poisonous breath)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The daitya becomes a monstrous serpent with many hoods flaring like a canopy; his poisonous breath streams as dark-green flames, scorching deva chariot-warriors and leaving charred armor and smoke.

Characters & Entities

• Jambha
• Devas (Suras)
• Serpent form
• Poison (viṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma assumes terrifying forms and ‘burns’ the righteous—yet such trials set the stage for divine protection and restoration of order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; this verse is part of a martial episode in the Purāṇic narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes the Asura’s transformation and its effects in battle.