Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

ततो वज्रास्त्रमकरोत्सस्राक्षः पुरंदरः । शिलामहार्षंव्यशीर्यत समंततः

Transliteration

tato vajrāstramakarotsasrākṣaḥ puraṃdaraḥ | śilāmahārṣaṃvyaśīryata samaṃtataḥ

Translation

Darauf setzte Sahasrākṣa Purandara (Indra) die Vajra-Waffe ein; und jener gewaltige Steinhagel wurde ringsum zerschmettert.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• वज्रास्त्रम्: the thunderbolt-weapon
• वज्रास्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वज्रस्य अस्त्रम्)

• अकरोत्: made/produced/used
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सहस्राक्षः: the thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (सहस्राणि अक्षीणि यस्य) इन्द्र-पर्याय

• पुरन्दरः: Purandara (Indra)
• पुरन्दरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्द्र-पर्याय

• शिलामहार्षम्: the great mass of stones
• शिलामहार्षम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला + महा + ऋष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शिलानां महा-ऋषः/महान् समूहः) ‘great mass of stones’

• व्यशीर्यत: was shattered/dispersed
• व्यशीर्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-शॄ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि/भावे (was shattered)

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Desha (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (spatial adverb: on all sides)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Sahasrākṣa, Purandara) raises the Vajra; a radiant bolt-like force shatters the incoming rock-shower in all directions, turning boulders to dust and fragments midair.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Purandara)
• Sahasrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-protecting power is portrayed as divinely sanctioned; Indra’s vajra symbolizes decisive clarity that breaks obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse focuses on Indra’s counter-weapon in battle.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this is an account of astric countermeasures.