Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

तदा विशीर्णः सोऽभूच्च पर्वतो भूमिमंडले । ततो योजनदेहात्मा शतशीर्षः शतोदरः

Transliteration

tadā viśīrṇaḥ so'bhūcca parvato bhūmimaṃḍale | tato yojanadehātmā śataśīrṣaḥ śatodaraḥ

Translation

Then, upon the circle of the earth, that mountain-like form collapsed and lay shattered. From it arose a being of a body measuring a yojana—having a hundred heads and a hundred bellies.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• विशीर्णः: shattered
• विशीर्णः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + शीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-; अर्थः ‘भिन्न/चूर्णित’ (shattered)

• सः: he/that (mountain)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun)

• अभूत्: became / was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पर्वतः: mountain
• पर्वतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूमिमण्डले: on the earth’s surface
• भूमिमण्डले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (on the earth-surface)

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अपादानवाचक अव्यय (thereupon/from that)

• योजनदेहात्मा: having a yojana-sized body
• योजनदेहात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योजन + देह + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (whose body is of a yojana measure)

• शतशीर्षः: hundred-headed
• शतशीर्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (hundred-headed)

• शतोदरः: hundred-bellied
• शतोदरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (hundred-bellied)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The crushed mountain lies in fragments across the earth; from the debris rises a gigantic being a yojana tall, with a hundred heads and a hundred bellies—an embodiment of overwhelming, many-mouthed hunger and power.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays the Purāṇic theme that adharma can assume terrifying forms, yet remains within the cosmic order overseen by divine power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as narrative buildup within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.