Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

ततो जलधरैर्व्योम स्फुरद्विद्युल्लताकुलैः । गंभीराक्षसमाधारैश्चाभ्यपूर्यत मोदिनी

Transliteration

tato jaladharairvyoma sphuradvidyullatākulaiḥ | gaṃbhīrākṣasamādhāraiścābhyapūryata modinī

Translation

Then the sky was filled with rain-clouds, crowded with flashing streaks of lightning; and the earth, Modinī, was inundated by deep, roaring downpours.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), अर्थे—तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• जलधरैः: by clouds
• जलधरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• व्योम: the sky
• व्योम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्फुरद्विद्युल्लताकुलैः: with flashing lightning-streaks
• स्फुरद्विद्युल्लताकुलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुरत् (कृदन्त, √स्फुर् (धातु), शतृ) + विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक) + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः—स्फुरन्त्यः विद्युत्-लताः यत्र तैः (with flashing lightning-creepers, i.e., streaks)

• गंभीराक्षसमाधारैः: with deep-sounding thunderous supports
• गंभीराक्षसमाधारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गंभीर (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + समाधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—गंभीराः अक्ष-समाधाराः (deep rumbling/echoing supports; i.e., deep-sounding thunder-bases)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• अभ्यपूर्यत: was filled up
• अभ्यपूर्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पॄ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्ग—अभि; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (was filled)

• मोदिनी: (the sky) becoming delightful/joyous
• मोदिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण ‘आनन्ददायिनी/प्रसन्ना’ इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Modinī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The firmament thickens with rain-clouds veined by lightning; torrential sheets pour down with a deep roar, submerging the land called Modinī, turning the battlefield into a churning water-world.

Characters & Entities

• Vāruṇāstra
• Modinī (Earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic order is reflected through the elements; overwhelming conditions arise and pass, reminding one to endure with steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse describes the atmospheric effect of the Vāruṇa weapon.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this is descriptive imagery of clouds, lightning, and inundation.