Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

ततस्तमसि संशांते दैत्येन्द्राः प्राप्तचक्षुषः । चक्रुः क्रुरेण तमसा देवानीकं महाद्भुतम्

Transliteration

tatastamasi saṃśāṃte daityendrāḥ prāptacakṣuṣaḥ | cakruḥ krureṇa tamasā devānīkaṃ mahādbhutam

Translation

ତତ୍ପରେ ସେଇ ଅନ୍ଧକାର ଶାନ୍ତ ହେଲାପରେ ଦୈତ୍ୟେନ୍ଦ୍ରମାନେ ଦୃଷ୍ଟି ପୁନଃ ପାଇଲେ; ଏବଂ କ୍ରୂର ତମସା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଦେବସେନା ସମ୍ମୁଖେ ଏକ ମହାଦ୍ଭୁତ ମୋହଦୃଶ୍ୟ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କଲେ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb): तदनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• tamasi: in darkness
• tamasi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (locative singular)

• saṃśānte: having subsided/ceased
• saṃśānte: Adhikaraṇa (Qualifying/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-śam (धातु) + ta (कृत्) → saṃśānta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; tamasi इति विशेषणम्

• daityendrāḥ: lords of the Daityas
• daityendrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya + indra (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दैत्यानाम् इन्द्राः)

• prāptacakṣuṣaḥ: having regained sight
• prāptacakṣuṣaḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāpta (कृदन्त) + cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; दैत्येन्द्राः इति विशेषणम् (those who have obtained sight)

• cakruḥ: they made/caused
• cakruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• krureṇa: cruel/terrible
• krureṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; tamasā इति विशेषणम्

• tamasā: by darkness
• tamasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• devānīkam: the army of the gods
• devānīkam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + anīka (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् अनीकम्)

• mahādbhutam: very wondrous
• mahādbhutam: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + adbhuta (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् अद्भुतम्); devānīkam इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast battlefield as the oppressive darkness lifts; daitya-lords regain sight and conjure a second, cruel veil of darkness that rolls like a black wave toward the deva host, creating a bewildering, uncanny spectacle.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Deva-anīka (army of the gods)
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after clarity returns, hostile tendencies can recreate delusion; vigilance is required to protect discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.