Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81
Devanagari script
उल्काजालं महाघोरं पपात वसुधातले । चाल्यमाना तथा शक्तिः सुघोरा भवसूनुना
Transliteration
ulkājālaṃ mahāghoraṃ papāta vasudhātale | cālyamānā tathā śaktiḥ sughorā bhavasūnunā
Translation
Une pluie de météores, d’une horreur extrême, tomba sur la terre. Ainsi cette Śakti, terrifiante au plus haut point, fut mise en mouvement par le fils de Bhava (Skanda).
Word by Word
ulkā-jālama net/shower of meteors
ulkā-jālam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootulkā + jāla (प्रातिपदिके)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठीसम्बन्धः: ‘ulkānāṃ jālam’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
mahā-ghoramvery terrible
mahā-ghoram:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahā + ghora (प्रातिपदिके)
Formकर्मधारय-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ulkājālam)
papātafell
papāta:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpat (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
vasudhā-taleon the surface of the earth
vasudhā-tale:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootvasudhā + tala (प्रातिपदिके)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठीसम्बन्धः: ‘vasudhāyāḥ talaṃ’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन
cālyamānābeing shaken
cālyamānā:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√cal (धातु) → cālyamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formकृदन्त (शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय, कर्मणि/भावे), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘being moved/shaken’
tathāthus / likewise
tathā:
Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—रीतिवाचक (thus/likewise)
śaktiḥthe spear (śakti)
śaktiḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśakti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
su-ghorāexceedingly terrible
su-ghorā:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsu + ghora (प्रातिपदिके)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying śaktiḥ)
bhava-sūnunāby Bhava’s son (Skanda)
bhava-sūnunā:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbhava + sūnu (प्रातिपदिके)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठीसम्बन्धः: ‘bhavasya sūnuḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-हेतुवाचक (by Bhava’s son = Skanda)
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: As Skanda’s Śakti moves, the sky breaks into a terrifying net of meteors raining down; earth below is lit by fiery streaks, amplifying the weapon’s dread.
Characters & Entities
S
Skanda (Bhavasūnu)B
Bhava (Śiva)M
Meteor shower (ulkā)FAQs
When divine power acts, nature itself mirrors the moral turning-point—cosmic signs accompany the restoration of dharma.
None; “earth” is mentioned as the stage for cosmic effects, not as a named pilgrimage site.
None.