Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा बाष्कलिमायांतं देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः । वार्यमाणास्तदा देव्या पलायनपरायणाः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā bāṣkalimāyāṃtaṃ devāḥ śakrapurogamāḥ | vāryamāṇāstadā devyā palāyanaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Als sie Bāṣkali herankommen sahen, wandten sich die Götter—unter Śakra (Indra) an der Spitze—obwohl von der Göttin zurückgehalten, dem Fliehen zu und waren ganz auf die Flucht bedacht.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• बाष्कलिम्: Bāṣkali
• बाष्कलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाष्कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आयान्तम्: coming / approaching
• आयान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (बाष्कलिम्)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• शक्रपुरोगमाः: having Indra in front / led by Śakra
• शक्रपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (शक्रः पुरोगमो येषाम्)

• वार्यमाणाः: being restrained / being checked
• वार्यमाणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (धातु, णिच्)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle middle/passive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (being restrained)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• देव्या: by the goddess
• देव्या: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पलायनपरायणाः: intent on fleeing
• पलायनपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पलायन + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पलायने परायणाः / पलायनं परायणं येषाम्)

Speaker

Pulastya (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra at the head of anxious devas looks toward the approaching asura; despite the Goddess restraining them (a protective, commanding gesture), the devas turn as if to flee, faces showing alarm and uncertainty.

Characters & Entities

• Bāṣkali
• Śakra (Indra)
• Devī (Śrīmātā)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the mighty may succumb to fear; refuge and resolve are strengthened by faith in the Devī’s protecting power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is Mount Arbuda (Arbudaparvata) in the Arbuda Khaṇḍa of the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated in this verse; it is narrative context about the devas’ fear and the Goddess’s restraint.