Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

रेणुनाच्छाद्य चंद्रार्कौ वल्मीकस्थाविवेक्षितौ । महोग्राश्चौषधीस्तालैरश्विभ्यां सोऽभ्यवर्तयत्

Transliteration

reṇunācchādya caṃdrārkau valmīkasthāvivekṣitau | mahogrāścauṣadhīstālairaśvibhyāṃ so'bhyavartayat

Translation

Covering the Moon and Sun with dust, he made them appear as though sunk within an anthill. And those exceedingly potent healing herbs he beat back from the Aśvins with palm-staves, driving them away.

Word by Word

• रेणुना: with dust
• रेणुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• आच्छाद्य: having covered
• आच्छाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-छद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having covered’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चन्द्रार्कौ: the moon and the sun
• चन्द्रार्कौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; Accusative dual (the moon and the sun)

• वल्मीकस्थौ: situated in an anthill
• वल्मीकस्थौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्मीक (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (वल्मीके स्थौ = situated in an anthill); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Upamana (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• ईक्षितौ: appearing/seen
• ईक्षितौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Past passive participle ‘seen/appearing’

• महोग्राः: very fierce
• महोग्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• औषधीः: herbs/medicinal plants
• औषधीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• तालैः: with palmyra trees (as clubs)
• तालैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• अश्विभ्याम्: with the Aśvins (two gods)
• अश्विभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun ‘he’

• अभ्यवर्तयत्: caused to turn/rolled over
• अभ्यवर्तयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृत्/वर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘made turn/caused to move/rolled over’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A storm of dust rises like a veil, dimming Sun and Moon as if both are lodged in an anthill; nearby, radiant Aśvins reach toward glowing herbs, but the herbs are driven back by palm-staves in a startling reversal of healing itself.

Characters & Entities

• Candra
• Sūrya (Arka)
• Aśvinau
• Oṣadhis
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma dominates, clarity (sun–moon light) and healing (oṣadhi) seem eclipsed—yet such darkness is temporary within the Purāṇic vision of restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is glorified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.