Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

शूलप्रहाराभिहतो निपपात महीतले । पतितोऽपि महातेजास्तारकः पुनरुत्थितः

Transliteration

śūlaprahārābhihato nipapāta mahītale | patito'pi mahātejāstārakaḥ punarutthitaḥ

Translation

Frappé par le coup du trident, Tāraka tomba sur la surface de la terre; mais, bien que tombé, cet être au grand éclat se releva encore.

Word by Word

• शूलप्रहाराभिहतः: struck by a trident-blow
• शूलप्रहाराभिहतः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूल + प्रहार + अभि√हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शूलेन प्रहारेण अभिहतः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निपपात: fell down
• निपपात: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परिपूर्ण), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• महीतले: on the ground
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (महेः तलम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• पतितः: fallen
• पतितः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — particle (even/also)

• महातेजाः: of great radiance/power
• महातेजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महत्तेजाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तारकः: Tāraka
• तारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kala (Manner/काल-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय — adverb

• उत्थितः: risen up
• उत्थितः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्√स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tāraka, struck by the trident, crashes to the earth; dust plumes rise. In the next instant he pushes himself up, glowing with fierce radiance, eyes blazing—battle poised to continue.

Characters & Entities

• Tāraka
• Śūla (Trident)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after a crushing fall, pride and adharma can rise again—hence vigilance and steadfast divine resolve are required.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kedāra (Kedārakhaṇḍa of the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa), though this verse itself focuses on the battle episode rather than a specific tīrtha act.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is purely narrative.