Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

कल्पांतघोरसंकाशो बभूव स महारणः । केचिच्छैलेन बिभिदुः केचिद्बाणैरजिह्यगैः

Transliteration

kalpāṃtaghorasaṃkāśo babhūva sa mahāraṇaḥ | kecicchailena bibhiduḥ kecidbāṇairajihyagaiḥ

Translation

That great battle became dreadful, like the terror at the end of an aeon. Some struck by hurling rocks; others pierced with unfaltering arrows.

Word by Word

• कल्पान्तघोरसंकाशः: resembling the terror of the end of an aeon
• कल्पान्तघोरसंकाशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्पान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• बभूव: became/arose
• बभूव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महारणः: a great battle
• महारणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• शैलेन: with a rock/mountain
• शैलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• बिभिदुः: split/pierced
• बिभिदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अजिह्यगैः: unerring (not deviating)
• अजिह्यगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्-उपसर्ग) + जिह्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (बाणानां)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast battlefield like the end of an aeon: dust-darkened sky, warriors hurling boulders from raised ground while others release straight, unwavering arrows; bodies and chariots scattered, wind whipping banners.

Characters & Entities

• Kalpānta (end of the aeon)
• Arrows
• Rocks

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic-scale imagery reminds the listener that time (kāla) and dissolution frame all conflict; only dharma is enduring.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is descriptive of battle intensity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.