Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

उलूकाकारतां धृत्वा फूत्कारैरतिदारुणैः । हृदयाकंपनैः कश्चिद्भीषयामास तं ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

ulūkākāratāṃ dhṛtvā phūtkārairatidāruṇaiḥ | hṛdayākaṃpanaiḥ kaścidbhīṣayāmāsa taṃ dhruvam

Translation

Prenant une forme de hibou, et avec des sifflements extrêmement effroyables qui faisaient trembler le cœur, quelqu'un essayait de le terrifier encore et encore.

Word by Word

• उलूकाकारताम्: the state of having an owl-form
• उलूकाकारताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक + आकारता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उलूकस्य आकारता)

• धृत्वा: having assumed
• धृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive) — having assumed/held

• फूत्कारैः: with hooting/hissing sounds
• फूत्कारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फूत्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• अतिदारुणैः: very dreadful
• अतिदारुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—‘फूत्कारैः’

• हृदयाकम्पनैः: with heart-tremblings
• हृदयाकम्पनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय + आकम्पन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हृदयस्य आकम्पनम्)

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भीषयामास: frightened, terrified
• भीषयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भीष्/भी (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; कारणार्थे—‘भीषयति’ (causative sense)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly; steadfast
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘तम्’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) speaking to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An owl-like being looms in the dark, expelling harsh hissing blasts; the air ripples as the listener’s heart seems to tremble, yet the central figure remains anchored.

Characters & Entities

• Ulūka (owl-form apparition)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual progress in Kāśī includes confronting fear; the verse underscores courage and steadiness amid unsettling signs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) broadly, portrayed as a powerful sacred realm where inner transformation is tested.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed in this verse.