Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

अंधकं यस्त्रिशूलाग्रप्रोतं वर्षायुतं पुरा । त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्यसंमूढं शोषयामास भानुना

Transliteration

aṃdhakaṃ yastriśūlāgraprotaṃ varṣāyutaṃ purā | trailokyaiśvaryasaṃmūḍhaṃ śoṣayāmāsa bhānunā

Translation

പൂർവ്വകാലത്ത് ത്രിശൂലാഗ്രത്തിൽ അന്ധകനെ പത്തായിരം വർഷം കുത്തി നിർത്തി, ത്രിലോകൈശ്വര്യത്തിൽ മോഹിതനായ അവനെ തന്റെ തേജോതാപത്തിൽ ഉണക്കിയവൻ—അവൻ തന്നേ।

Word by Word

• aṃdhakam: Andhaka (demon)
• aṃdhakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃdhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• triśūlāgraproṭam: impaled on the tip of the trident
• triśūlāgraproṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triśūla-agra-prota (प्रातिपदिक; triśūla + agra + prota)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अंधकम्); समासः तत्पुरुषः—‘त्रिशूलस्य अग्रे प्रोतः’ (impaled on the trident’s tip)

• varṣāyutam: for ten thousand years
• varṣāyutam: Kāla (Duration adjunct/काल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṣa-ayuta (प्रातिपदिक; varṣa + ayuta)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (विशेषण-रूपे), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘अयुतं वर्षाणि’ = ten-thousand years

• purā: formerly/once
• purā: Kāla (Time adjunct/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• trailokyaiśvaryasaṃmūḍham: deluded by sovereignty over the three worlds
• trailokyaiśvaryasaṃmūḍham: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: trailokya-aiśvarya-saṃmūḍha (प्रातिपदिक; tri-lokya + aiśvarya + saṃmūḍha)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अंधकम्); समासः तत्पुरुषः—‘त्रैलोक्यस्य ऐश्वर्येण संमूढः’

• śoṣayāmāsa: caused to dry up / dried
• śoṣayāmāsa: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuṣ (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) + लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम; √śuṣ (शुष्) → śoṣayati ‘to dry’

• bhānunā: by (his) radiance / by the sun-like brilliance
• bhānunā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within Skanda–Agastya dialogue context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim/devotee audience in the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Fierce yet controlled Śiva stands radiant like a sun, Andhaka impaled on the triśūla’s tip, time stretched across ages; the demon’s arrogance withers under Śiva’s heat, while devas witness in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Andhaka
• Triśūla
• Kāśī
• Mahākāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power humbles cosmic arrogance; Śiva’s radiance dissolves the pride of worldly sovereignty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Mahākāla/Śiva supremacy theme central to Kāśī-māhātmya, rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is mythic praise establishing Śiva’s unmatched capacity to subdue evil.