Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

वृष्ण्यंधकांश्च खादंती स्वप्ने दृष्टा भयानका । कुर्वंती भीषणं नादं कुर्कुटश्वानसंयुता

Transliteration

vṛṣṇyaṃdhakāṃśca khādaṃtī svapne dṛṣṭā bhayānakā | kurvaṃtī bhīṣaṇaṃ nādaṃ kurkuṭaśvānasaṃyutā

Translation

Im Traum erschien eine furchterregende weibliche Erscheinung, die die Vṛṣṇis und Andhakas verschlang; von Hähnen und Hunden begleitet, stieß sie einen grauenhaften Schrei aus—ein Omen nahenden Unheils.

Word by Word

• वृष्ण्यन्धकान्: the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas
• वृष्ण्यन्धकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णि (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्वन्द्व (वृष्णयः च अन्धकाः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• खादन्ती: devouring/eating
• खादन्ती: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तरि

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: Adhikarana (State/Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन

• दृष्टा: seen/appearing
• दृष्टा: Karta (Subject descriptor)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (seen/appearing)

• भयानका: terrifying
• भयानका: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (of kālī strī)

• कुर्वन्ती: making/doing
• कुर्वन्ती: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• भीषणम्: dreadful
• भीषणम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying nādam)

• नादम्: sound/roar
• नादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• कुर्कुटश्वानसंयुता: accompanied by cocks and dogs
• कुर्कुटश्वानसंयुता: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुर्कुट (प्रातिपदिक) + श्वान (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; युज् (धातु)+क्त)
• Form: समास: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद-समास (कुर्कुटैः श्वानैः च संयुता = accompanied by cocks and dogs); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual deduction within Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (narrative locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A nightmare vision: a terrifying female apparition (piśācī/yakṣiṇī-like) devours Yādava warriors; cocks and dogs circle, mouths open in a dreadful chorus; the scene framed as a dream-cloud above sleeping women.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣṇi
• Andhaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sinister omens in dreams are presented as warnings that time (kāla) is ripening; one should turn toward dharma and sacred pilgrimage before downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, pointing toward Prabhāsa as the decisive sacred setting for the coming events.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated in this verse; it functions as a nimitta (omen) that motivates the later tīrthayātrā.