Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अथ देवगणाः सर्वे वञ्चयित्वा च तं गणम् । प्रैषयंस्तत्र वायुं च गुप्तमूचुर्वचस्त्विदम्

Transliteration

atha devagaṇāḥ sarve vañcayitvā ca taṃ gaṇam | praiṣayaṃstatra vāyuṃ ca guptamūcurvacastvidam

Translation

Da überlisteten alle Scharen der Götter jene Gefolgsleute, entsandten Vāyu dorthin und sprachen heimlich diese Worte:

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तरार्थक) — indeclinable, then/now

• देवगणाः: the hosts of gods
• देवगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (“group of gods”)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural (agreeing with देवगणाः)

• वञ्चयित्वा: having deceived
• वञ्चयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वञ्च् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (पूर्वकाल) — gerund “having deceived”

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Pronoun; Masculine accusative singular

• गणम्: group, troop
• गणम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

• प्रैषयन्: they sent, dispatched
• प्रैषयन्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperfect, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada (sandhi form: प्रैषयंस्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) — indeclinable adverb of place

• वायुम्: Vāyu (Wind-god)
• वायुम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• गुप्तम्: secretly
• गुप्तम्: Manner (Kriya-visheshana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुप्त (प्रातिपदिक/क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे क्रियाविशेषणवत् (नपुंसक-द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण) — used adverbially “secretly”

• ऊचुः: they said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person plural

• वचः: words, speech
• वचः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/विशेष) — particle “but/indeed”

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Pronoun; Neuter accusative singular (agreeing with वचः)

Speaker

Pulastya (narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas signal Vāyu—depicted as a swift, translucent figure with swirling scarves—while slipping past a gaṇa-guard; they whisper secret instructions, hands cupped, eyes alert.

Characters & Entities

• Deva-gaṇas
• Gaṇa (attendants)
• Vāyu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narratives show complex moral worlds: actions are weighed against the perceived need to protect cosmic stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is part of the chain of events leading to the glorification of Īśānī-śikhara and Gaurī’s sacred ground.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates the devas’ decision to send Vāyu.