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
അത്യന്തം ഭയങ്കരമായ ഉൽക്കാവർഷം ഭൂമിതലത്തിൽ പതിച്ചു. ഇങ്ങനെ ഭവപുത്രൻ (സ്കന്ദൻ) ആ അതിഘോര ശക്തിയെ ചലിപ്പിച്ചു.
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.