Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

बलभद्रः पुरा देवि श्रुत्वा कृष्णस्य पंचताम् । भल्लतीर्थे तु भल्लेन ततः प्रभासमागतः

Transliteration

balabhadraḥ purā devi śrutvā kṛṣṇasya paṃcatām | bhallatīrthe tu bhallena tataḥ prabhāsamāgataḥ

Translation

পূৰ্বে, হে দেবী, বলভদ্ৰে কৃষ্ণৰ পঞ্চত্ব (দেহত্যাগ)ৰ কথা শুনি, ভল্ল-তীৰ্থত ভল্লৰ বাণত বিদ্ধ হৈ, তাৰপিছত প্ৰভাসলৈ আহিল।

Word by Word

• बलभद्रः: Balabhadra
• बलभद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having heard’

• कृष्णस्य: of Krishna
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• पञ्चताम्: death, demise
• पञ्चताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘पञ्चत्व’ = मृत्यु/निधन (state of being five elements)

• भल्लतीर्थे: at Bhalla-tīrtha
• भल्लतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्लतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; भल्ल + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• भल्लेन: with/using an arrow (bhalla)
• भल्लेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• ततः: thereupon, from there
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तदस्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• प्रभासम्: to Prabhāsa
• प्रभासम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आगतः: arrived, came
• आगतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (used predicatively: ‘came/arrived’)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuation of the dialogue with Mahādevī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhalla-tīrtha (within Prabhāsa)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Balabhadra, stricken with grief upon hearing of Kṛṣṇa’s passing, bears the mark of an arrow-wound from Bhalla-tīrtha and journeys toward Prabhāsa; the scene is twilight-like, solemn, and epic.

Characters & Entities

• Balabhadra (Balarāma)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Bhalla-tīrtha
• Bhalla (arrow)
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine incarnational histories are anchored in sacred places; Prabhāsa becomes a dharmic landmark where world-turning events are contemplated.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhalla-tīrtha and Prabhāsa-kṣetra, connected to the Yādava end-time events.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse provides itihāsa-style context for the sanctity of the region.