Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

अंधकं यस्त्रिशूलाग्रप्रोतं वर्षायुतं पुरा । त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्यसंमूढं शोषयामास भानुना

Transliteration

aṃdhakaṃ yastriśūlāgraprotaṃ varṣāyutaṃ purā | trailokyaiśvaryasaṃmūḍhaṃ śoṣayāmāsa bhānunā

Translation

He who once impaled Andhaka upon the tip of his trident for ten thousand years, and dried up—by the heat of his radiance—him who was deluded by lordship over the three worlds—

Word by Word

• aṃdhakam: Andhaka (demon)
• aṃdhakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃdhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• triśūlāgraproṭam: impaled on the tip of the trident
• triśūlāgraproṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triśūla-agra-prota (प्रातिपदिक; triśūla + agra + prota)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अंधकम्); समासः तत्पुरुषः—‘त्रिशूलस्य अग्रे प्रोतः’ (impaled on the trident’s tip)

• varṣāyutam: for ten thousand years
• varṣāyutam: Kāla (Duration adjunct/काल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṣa-ayuta (प्रातिपदिक; varṣa + ayuta)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (विशेषण-रूपे), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘अयुतं वर्षाणि’ = ten-thousand years

• purā: formerly/once
• purā: Kāla (Time adjunct/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• trailokyaiśvaryasaṃmūḍham: deluded by sovereignty over the three worlds
• trailokyaiśvaryasaṃmūḍham: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: trailokya-aiśvarya-saṃmūḍha (प्रातिपदिक; tri-lokya + aiśvarya + saṃmūḍha)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अंधकम्); समासः तत्पुरुषः—‘त्रैलोक्यस्य ऐश्वर्येण संमूढः’

• śoṣayāmāsa: caused to dry up / dried
• śoṣayāmāsa: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuṣ (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) + लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम; √śuṣ (शुष्) → śoṣayati ‘to dry’

• bhānunā: by (his) radiance / by the sun-like brilliance
• bhānunā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within Skanda–Agastya dialogue context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim/devotee audience in the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Fierce yet controlled Śiva stands radiant like a sun, Andhaka impaled on the triśūla’s tip, time stretched across ages; the demon’s arrogance withers under Śiva’s heat, while devas witness in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Andhaka
• Triśūla
• Kāśī
• Mahākāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power humbles cosmic arrogance; Śiva’s radiance dissolves the pride of worldly sovereignty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Mahākāla/Śiva supremacy theme central to Kāśī-māhātmya, rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is mythic praise establishing Śiva’s unmatched capacity to subdue evil.