Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

देवदूत उवाच । एते हरगणाः सर्वेशापभ्रष्टाः क्षितिं गताः

Transliteration

devadūta uvāca | ete haragaṇāḥ sarveśāpabhraṣṭāḥ kṣitiṃ gatāḥ

Translation

Le messager divin dit : «Ces gaṇa de Hara, frappés par la malédiction du Seigneur de tout, sont descendus sur la terre.»

Word by Word

• देवदूतः: the divine messenger
• देवदूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• हर-गणाः: the troops of Hara (Śiva)
• हर-गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—हरस्य गणाः

• सर्वेश-अपभ्रष्टाः: fallen due to (the curse of) the Lord of all
• सर्वेश-अपभ्रष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वेश (प्रातिपदिक) + अपभ्रष्ट (कृदन्त, अप + √भ्रंश्/भ्रश्-भ्रंशे, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सर्वेशात् अपभ्रष्टाः (सर्वेशस्य शापेन/सर्वेशात् पतिताः इत्यर्थे)

• क्षितिम्: to the earth
• क्षितिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गताः: gone / descended
• गताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गतम्/गत (कृदन्त, √गम्-गत्यर्थे, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृत्-प्रत्यय (past participle)

Speaker

Devadūta (divine messenger)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the speaker of the prior verse (unnamed here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devadūta speaks, pointing downward to earth; behind him, shadowed forms of Hara’s gaṇas descend like sparks from a celestial realm, with a faint seal of ‘śāpa’ (curse) hovering above.

Characters & Entities

• Devadūta
• Hara
• Haragaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings may undergo karmic consequences; divine narratives teach humility and the working of dharma through boons and curses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it sets narrative background about the gaṇas’ descent to earth.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative statement by the messenger.