Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6
देवा ऊचुः । सर्वं नोऽपहृतं देवि शुंभेन सुदुरात्मना । तं निषूदय कल्याणि सोवध्योन्यैः सदा रणे
devā ūcuḥ | sarvaṃ no'pahṛtaṃ devi śuṃbhena sudurātmanā | taṃ niṣūdaya kalyāṇi sovadhyonyaiḥ sadā raṇe
قالت الآلهة: «يا إلهة، لقد سلب شومبها ذو النفس الخبيثة كلَّ ما لنا. يا مباركة، اقتليه؛ فهو في ساحة الحرب لا يُغلَب أبدًا على يد غيرك.»
Devas
Tirtha: Arbuda
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis (frame assumed)
Scene: The devas, humbled, speak before the Goddess: their riches and stations seized by Śumbha; they beg the auspicious Mother to slay the invincible tyrant.
FAQs
When adharma becomes ‘unslayable’ by ordinary means, refuge in the Divine Mother is the highest recourse for restoring order.
The Arbuda sacred landscape as the setting for the devas’ śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) and Devī’s protective intervention.
A petitionary prayer (stuti/ārti in spirit): approaching Devī with truthful confession of loss and a dharmic request for protection.