Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

ततो निर्भिद्य शूलाग्रैः प्रोत्क्षिप्य गगनांगणे । छत्रवद्धारयामास लंबमानमधोमुखम् । अक्षरद्रुधिरं भूमौ गात्रेभ्यो वर्ष्मसंभवम्

Transliteration

tato nirbhidya śūlāgraiḥ protkṣipya gaganāṃgaṇe | chatravaddhārayāmāsa laṃbamānamadhomukham | akṣaradrudhiraṃ bhūmau gātrebhyo varṣmasaṃbhavam

Translation

Затем, пронзив его остриями трезубца, Шива подбросил его в открытое небо и держал высоко, как зонт, висящим вниз головой, пока кровь капала на землю.

Word by Word

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

• nirbhidya: having pierced
• nirbhidya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√bhid (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √भिद् 'to split' with उपसर्ग 'निर्'; 'having pierced/split'

• śūla-agraiḥ: with the spear-tips
• śūla-agraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयप्रायः: 'शूलस्य अग्राणि' → 'spear-tips'

• protkṣipya: having flung upward
• protkṣipya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ut-√kṣip (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √क्षिप् 'to throw' with उपसर्ग 'प्र+उत्'; 'having hurled up'

• gagana-aṅgaṇe: in the expanse of the sky
• gagana-aṅgaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gagana (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'गगनस्य अङ्गणम्' = 'sky-courtyard/expanse'

• chatra-vat: like an umbrella
• chatra-vat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: chatra (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverbial): वत्-प्रत्ययान्त 'like/as (a) umbrella'

• dhārayāmāsa: he held
• dhārayāmāsa: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in usage 'held/kept holding' (धारयामास = 'he held')

• laṃbamānam: hanging
• laṃbamānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √lamb (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; 'hanging' (qualifying object)

• adhaḥ-mukham: with face downward
• adhaḥ-mukham: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: 'अधः मुखं यस्य' = 'face downward'

• akṣarat: dripped, flowed
• akṣarat: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣar (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √क्षर् 'to flow/drip' → 'dripped/flowed'

• rudhiram: blood
• rudhiram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudhira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; (subject of akṣarat)

• bhūmau: on the ground
• bhūmau: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• gātrebhyaḥ: from the limbs
• gātrebhyaḥ: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन

• varṣma-saṃbhavam: born from the body
• varṣma-saṃbhavam: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṣman (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता) एकवचन (rudhiram-विशेषण); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'वर्ष्मणः सम्भवम्' = 'arising from the body/flesh'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva pierces Andhaka with trident points, flings him into the sky, and holds him aloft like a parasol; the demon hangs upside down as blood rains onto the earth, marking the ground below as newly sanctified.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śaṅkara)
• Andhaka (Daitya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine can subdue unchecked power in a way that publicly overturns pride, making a lesson of adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it functions as narrative within a larger tīrtha-glorifying chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive of Śiva’s act.