Shloka 31

Matsya Purana — Skanda’s Consecration

Devanagari script

पांशुवर्षमसृक्पातं गगनादवनीतले भुजनेत्रप्रकम्पं च वक्त्रशोषमनोभ्रमम् //

Transliteration

pāṃśuvarṣamasṛkpātaṃ gaganādavanītale bhujanetraprakampaṃ ca vaktraśoṣamanobhramam //

Translation

A rain of dust and a fall of blood from the sky onto the earth—trembling of the arms and eyes, dryness of the mouth, and a bewildering agitation of the mind—(these are seen as dreadful portents).

Word by Word

• पांशुवर्षम् (pāṃśuvarṣam): rain of dust

• असृक्पातम् (asṛkpātam): falling of blood, blood-rain

• गगनात् (gaganāt): from the sky

• अवनीतले (avanītale): on the surface of the earth

• भुज (bhuja): arms

• नेत्र (netra): eyes

• प्रकम्पम् (prakampam): trembling, violent shaking

• च (ca): and

• वक्त्र (vaktra): mouth/face

• शोष (śoṣa): dryness, withering

• मनोभ्रमम् (mano-bhramam): confusion/delusion of the mind, mental disorientation.

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) conveying the Matsya Purana’s description of omens (arishta-lakshana)

Entities Mentioned

• Sky (gagana)
• Earth (avanī)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Omens
• Arishta-Lakshana
• Calamities
• Puranic Cosmology

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

It lists ominous, abnormal phenomena—dust-rain, blood-rain, bodily tremors, and mental confusion—treated as warning-signs of impending calamity and large-scale disorder associated with pralaya-like conditions.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

Such portents traditionally prompt heightened vigilance: a king should protect social order and perform appeasement rites, while householders are advised to maintain discipline, charity, and ritual steadiness when signs of instability appear.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse is not prescribing Vastu rules; its practical ritual takeaway is that these are inauspicious signs (arishta) that would warrant śānti/appeasement procedures rather than construction or consecration activities.