Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

दक्षः कालेन महता हरस्यालयमाययौ

Transliteration

dakṣaḥ kālena mahatā harasyālayamāyayau

Translation

وبعد زمنٍ طويل، أتى دَكْشَا إلى مسكن هارا (شيفا).

Word by Word

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कालेन: by/with time
• कालेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महता: great
• महता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्—कालेन

• हरस्य: of Hara (Śiva)
• हरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• आलयम्: abode, dwelling
• आलयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आययौ: went, came
• आययौ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator (within Īśvara’s discourse context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kailāsa (narrative)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dakṣa, regal and self-assured, arrives after a long interval at Śiva’s mountain abode; the gates of Kailāsa and gaṇas stand watch, hinting at tension.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Hara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching the divine is significant, but inner attitude determines whether meeting becomes devotion or conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse refers to Hara’s abode (not a named tīrtha here); the surrounding chapter belongs to Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative transition.