Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

चूर्णयामास तत्क्षिप्रं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । ततः सुराधिपः सक्रस्त्वाष्ट्रमस्त्रमुदैरयत्

Transliteration

cūrṇayāmāsa tatkṣipraṃ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | tataḥ surādhipaḥ sakrastvāṣṭramastramudairayat

Translation

അവൻ ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ വേഗത്തിൽ നൂറുകളായും ആയിരങ്ങളായും അവരെ ചൂർണ്ണമാക്കി; തുടർന്ന് ദേവാധിപൻ ശക്രൻ ത്വാഷ്ട്രാസ്ത്രം ഉയർത്തി।

Word by Word

• चूर्णयामास: pulverized; crushed
• चूर्णयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चूर्णय् (धातु: चूर्णयति—नामधातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (चूर्णयामास) — 'that (all)'

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Kriya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — 'quickly'

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: Kriya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाणवाचक) — 'by hundreds'

• अथ: then
• अथ: Adhikarana (Discourse marker/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — 'then'

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Kriya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाणवाचक) — 'by thousands'

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — 'then'

• सुर-अधिपः: lord of the gods
• सुर-अधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (सुराधिपः)

• त्वाष्ट्रम्: Tvaṣṭṛ-related
• त्वाष्ट्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वाष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (अस्त्रम्)

• अस्त्रम्: weapon
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (उदैरयत्)

• उदैरयत्: raised; set in motion; hurled
• उदैरयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु) + उद् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After pulverizing multitudes, the scene shifts: Indra (Śakra) stands resolute, raising the Tvāṣṭra weapon—crafted power—amid sparks and storm clouds, signaling a turning point.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Tvaṣṭṛ
• Tvāṣṭra-astra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When chaos swells, cosmic order (deva leadership) responds with counter-measures—symbolizing dharma’s corrective force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy place is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.