Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 181

Devanagari script

चचाल च मही सर्वा सशैलवनकानना । चुक्षुभे च तदा सर्वं जंगमं स्थावरं तथा

Transliteration

cacāla ca mahī sarvā saśailavanakānanā | cukṣubhe ca tadā sarvaṃ jaṃgamaṃ sthāvaraṃ tathā

Translation

ครั้งนั้นแผ่นดินทั้งผืนสั่นสะเทือน พร้อมด้วยภูผา พงไพร และวนอุทยาน; ในกาลนั้นทั้งสิ่งเคลื่อนไหวและสิ่งนิ่งล้วนปั่นป่วน

Word by Word

• चचाल: shook/moved
• चचाल: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मही: the earth
• मही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वा: entire
• सर्वा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying मही)

• सशैलवनकानना: with mountains, forests, and groves
• सशैलवनकानना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शैल + वन + कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying मही); 'स-' = सह (with)

• चुक्षुभे: was agitated/trembled
• चुक्षुभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेष्य-रूपेण (as substantive: everything)

• जंगमम्: moving (creatures)
• जंगमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying सर्वम्)

• स्थावरम्: immobile (things)
• स्थावरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying सर्वम्)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The earth quakes; mountains sway, forests shudder; animals and trees alike are agitated—an all-encompassing tremor responding to Vṛtra’s overpowering presence.

Characters & Entities

• Earth (Mahī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma rises, its impact is not private—nature and society both become unsettled.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it belongs to the Kedārakhaṇḍa setting that ultimately points to Kedāra as the refuge and stabilizing sacred center.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction is given here.