Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

पुरा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु दृष्ट्वोत्पातान्सुदारुणान् । पुण्यग्रन्थस्य श्रवणाच्छांतिहोमाद्विशोधनात्

Transliteration

purā vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu dṛṣṭvotpātānsudāruṇān | puṇyagranthasya śravaṇācchāṃtihomādviśodhanāt

Translation

Einst, als die Heere aufgestellt waren und man überaus schreckliche Vorzeichen sah, wurde Läuterung erlangt durch das Hören heiliger Schriften, durch besänftigende Opfer (śānti-homa) und durch Reinigungsriten.

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/once)

• vyūḍheṣu: when (they were) arrayed
• vyūḍheṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√ūh (ऊह्/व्यूह् धातु) + क्त
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘arrayed/formed’ (locative absolute with anīkeṣu)

• anīkeṣu: in the armies/formations
• anīkeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Gerundial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वान्त), ‘having seen’

• utpātān: portents/omens
• utpātān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utpāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• sudāruṇān: very dreadful
• sudāruṇān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (su + dāruṇa)

• puṇyagranthasya: of the sacred text
• puṇyagranthasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇyagrantha (प्रातिपदिक); puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + grantha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• śravaṇāt: from hearing
• śravaṇāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• śāṃtihomāt: from a pacificatory fire-offering
• śāṃtihomāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāṃtihoma (प्रातिपदिक); śāṃti (प्रातिपदिक) + homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (śāṃtyai homaḥ)

• viśodhanāt: from purification
• viśodhanāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśodhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta narrating; teaching attributed to remembered counsel (linked to Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic perspective)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (as forthcoming remedy)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varavarṇinī / audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Armies stand in formation; above them ominous birds and strange celestial signs. In the foreground, priests conduct a śānti-homa while listeners sit for puṇya-grantha śravaṇa; water vessels and kuśa indicate viśodhana.

Characters & Entities

• Śānti-homa
• Puṇya-grantha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When omens arise, dharma prescribes śānti through scripture-hearing, homa, and purification—transforming fear into disciplined spiritual action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is general; within this chapter it supports the turn toward Prabhāsa as the supreme purifying field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Puṇya-grantha-śravaṇa (hearing sacred texts), śānti-homa (pacificatory fire-rite), and viśodhana (purificatory observances).