Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

महाप्रचण्डदैत्यघ्नीं पौलस्त्येन प्रतिष्ठिताम् । महिषघ्नीं महाकायां क्षेत्रे प्राभासिके स्थिताम्

Transliteration

mahāpracaṇḍadaityaghnīṃ paulastyena pratiṣṭhitām | mahiṣaghnīṃ mahākāyāṃ kṣetre prābhāsike sthitām

Translation

هي قاتلةُ الشياطين العاتية شديدة البأس—التي أقامها بولاستيا—قاتلةُ مهيشا (شيطان الجاموس)، عظيمةُ الجسد، المقيمةُ في الحقل المقدّس البرابهاسيكي (برابهاسا).

Word by Word

• महाप्रचण्डदैत्यघ्नीम्: slayer of very fierce demons
• महाप्रचण्डदैत्यघ्नीम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्रचण्ड + दैत्यघ्नी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पौलस्त्येन: by Paulastya
• पौलस्त्येन: Karana (Agent/instrument; ‘by Paulastya’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रतिष्ठिताम्: established; installed
• प्रतिष्ठिताम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महिषघ्नीम्: slayer of the buffalo (demon)
• महिषघ्नीम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिष + घ्नी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाकायाम्: great-bodied; huge
• महाकायाम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + काय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/region
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राभासिके: of Prabhāsa
• प्राभासिके: Visheshana (of क्षेत्रे)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राभासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); क्षेत्रे इति विशेषणम्

• स्थिताम्: situated
• स्थिताम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuation of his instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prābhāsikā Devī (Mahīṣaghnī) shrine in Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable Devī, vast-bodied and radiant, stands within the Prabhāsa sacred field, celebrated as the slayer of fierce demons and the buffalo-demon; the shrine is said to be established by Paulastya (a sage of Pulastya’s lineage), with pilgrims approaching in reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā Devī (implied)
• Paulastya
• Daitya
• Mahiṣa
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power defends dharma by subduing demonic forces; sacred places preserve these victory-memories as living pilgrimage sites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā Devī shrine in Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Prābhāsika kṣetra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied: visit and worship the consecrated goddess-seat established by Paulastya in Prabhāsa.