Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

पुरा महेश्वरो देवश्चचार वसुधामिमाम् । दिव्यरूपधरः कान्तो दिग्वासाः स यदृच्छया

Transliteration

purā maheśvaro devaścacāra vasudhāmimām | divyarūpadharaḥ kānto digvāsāḥ sa yadṛcchayā

Translation

In früherer Zeit wanderte der Gott Maheśvara über diese Erde—strahlend, in göttlicher Gestalt, digvāsā (nackt, die Himmelsrichtungen als Gewand), nach eigenem freien Willen umher.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• महेश्वरः: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (महेश्वरस्य)

• चचार: wandered
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वसुधाम्: the earth
• वसुधाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘वसुधाम्’)

• दिव्यरूपधरः: bearing a divine form
• दिव्यरूपधरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दिव्यस्य रूपस्य धरः = bearer of a divine form); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘महेश्वरः’)

• कान्तः: beautiful/charming
• कान्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दिग्वासाः: clad in the quarters (naked)
• दिग्वासाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (दिशः वासो यस्य = whose garment is the directions; i.e., naked); विशेषणम्

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

• यदृच्छया: by chance
• यदृच्छया: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/Instrument/हेतु-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे प्रयोगः (by chance)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāruka-vana (within Prabhāsa narrative ambit)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, radiant and beautiful, wanders the earth in divine form, unclothed (clad in the directions), moving freely by his own will.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Vasudhā (Earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s conduct transcends ordinary social norms; divine līlā often tests attachment, judgment, and spiritual maturity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is framed within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, tying Śiva’s līlā to the sanctity of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse sets narrative context for the māhātmya.