Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । दुर्भगा रविपत्नी च प्रभानामेति विश्रुता । तया चाराधितः शम्भुरुग्रेण तपसा पुरा

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | durbhagā ravipatnī ca prabhānāmeti viśrutā | tayā cārādhitaḥ śambhurugreṇa tapasā purā

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: Es gab eine Frau namens Prabhā, die Gattin Ravis (der Sonne), berühmt als „Unglückliche“. Einst verehrte sie Śambhu durch strenge Askese.

Word by Word

• śrīmārkaṇḍeyaḥ: the venerable Mārkaṇḍeya
• śrīmārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् मार्कण्डेयः)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• durbhagā: Durbhagā
• durbhagā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durbhagā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• ravi-patnī: wife of the Sun
• ravi-patnī: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रवेः पत्नी)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• prabhā-nāmā: named Prabhā
• prabhā-nāmā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prabhā + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्याः नाम प्रभा सा)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (Marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग (quotative particle)

• viśrutā: well-known
• viśrutā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśruta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from śru)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ārādhitaḥ: was propitiated
• ārādhitaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate participle/क्रियापद-विशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + rādh (धातु) + ārādhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (was worshipped/propitiated)

• śambhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śambhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ugreṇa: fierce/intense
• ugreṇa: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? (तपस्-विशेषणतया नपुंसक-तृतीया अपेक्षा; रूपं—पुं/नपुं तृतीया एकवचन), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• purā: formerly/once
• purā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (linked to Prabhā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya begins the legend: Prabhā, wife of the Sun, labeled ‘unfortunate,’ undertakes fierce austerity to worship Śambhu—setting the stage for the kṣetra’s sanctification.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Prabhā
• Ravi (Sūrya)
• Śambhu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even one burdened by misfortune can attain divine grace through steadfast austerity and worship of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse begins the origin narrative that leads to the glory of Prabhāsa/Prabhāseśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana of Śiva through ugra-tapas (severe austerity).