Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

स देवः कथमीशानो हयग्रीवत्वमागतः । प्रह्लादार्थे स चेशानो रूपं कृत्वा भयावहम्

Transliteration

sa devaḥ kathamīśāno hayagrīvatvamāgataḥ | prahlādārthe sa ceśāno rūpaṃ kṛtvā bhayāvaham

Translation

Wie gelangte jener Herr, der höchste Lenker, in den Zustand Hayagrīvas? Und um Prahlādas willen nahm eben dieser Herr eine furchterregende Gestalt an.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय

• ईशानः: the Lord
• ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हयग्रीवत्वम्: the state of being Hayagrīva
• हयग्रीवत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयग्रीव + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of being Hayagrīva)

• आगतः: attained/assumed
• आगतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तरि कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रह्लादार्थे: for Prahlāda's sake
• प्रह्लादार्थे: Hetu/Purpose (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/प्रयोजने (for the sake of Prahlāda)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• ईशानः: the Lord
• ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/assumed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त

• भयावहम्: bringing fear
• भयावहम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (भयं आवहति इति) विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta addressing sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A question is posed: how did the Supreme Lord become Hayagrīva, and how did He assume a fearsome form for Prahlāda’s sake—suggesting a devotional tableau where terror is transmuted into protection.

Characters & Entities

• Īśāna (Lord)
• Hayagrīva
• Prahlāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s sovereignty includes compassionate intervention: He takes even fearsome forms to safeguard devoted righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse supports the section’s devotional-mahatmya emphasis through Prahlāda’s protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.