Shloka 11

Devanagari script

पुनः स्कंदः प्रकुप्योच्चैः शरवर्षाञ्चकार ह । पातयामास क्षयतः कोटिशोऽसुरनायकान्

Transliteration

punaḥ skaṃdaḥ prakupyoccaiḥ śaravarṣāñcakāra ha | pātayāmāsa kṣayataḥ koṭiśo'suranāyakān

Translation

Then Skanda, again becoming fiercely enraged, raised a mighty shower of arrows; and, bringing about their destruction, he caused the leaders of the asuras to fall by the crores.

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रकुप्य: having become angry
• प्रकुप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कुप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having become enraged’

• उच्चैः: loudly; on high
• उच्चैः: Prakara (प्रकार/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शरवर्षान्: showers of arrows
• शरवर्षान्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (शराणां वर्षम्)

• चकार: he made; he unleashed
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘he did/made’

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• पातयामास: he caused to fall; felled
• पातयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (periphrastic perfect/परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense): ‘caused to fall’

• क्षयतः: utterly; to destruction
• क्षयतः: Prakara (प्रकार/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from destruction/utterly’

• कोटिशः: in crores; by the crore
• कोटिशः: Prakara (प्रकार/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (distributive adverb): ‘by crores, in tens of millions’

• असुरनायकान्: leaders of the demons
• असुरनायकान्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (असुराणां नायकाः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Skanda (Kartikeya)
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

Skanda’s arrow-shower symbolizes the decisive power of divine grace that cuts down inner “asuric” forces—ego, violence, and delusion—so dharma may prevail under Shiva’s lordship (Pati) over bound souls (paśu).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Though the scene is martial, it reflects Saguna Shiva’s compassionate governance: Shiva’s cosmic order is maintained through his śaktis and attendants, with Skanda acting as the divine general protecting the righteous—an assurance remembered in Linga worship as Shiva’s living guardianship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) for inner protection and steadiness; mentally offer one’s anger and agitation into Shiva, transforming it into disciplined courage (dhairya) rather than harm.