Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अत्रांतरे सर्वदेवा लोकपाला महाबलाः । अस्त्राणां कारणार्थाय मुनेराश्रममागताः

Transliteration

atrāṃtare sarvadevā lokapālā mahābalāḥ | astrāṇāṃ kāraṇārthāya munerāśramamāgatāḥ

Translation

Unterdessen kamen alle Götter und die mächtigen Weltenhüter zur Einsiedelei des Weisen, um Ursache und Weg zum Erlangen der göttlichen Waffen zu erfragen.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'here')

• अन्तरे: in the meantime
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; 'in the interval/meanwhile'

• सर्वदेवाः: all the gods
• सर्वदेवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वे देवाः)

• लोकपालाः: the guardians of the worlds
• लोकपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पालाः)

• महाबलाः: mighty/very powerful
• महाबलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महद् बलं येषाम्) विशेषण (qualifying the gods/guardians)

• अस्त्राणाम्: of the weapons
• अस्त्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• कारणार्थाय: for the sake of the cause/purpose
• कारणार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कारणस्य अर्थः) = 'for the purpose of the cause/obtaining the cause'

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• आश्रमम्: hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आगताः: came/arrived
• आगताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि (agreeing with plural subject)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (āśrama/tapovana locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (probable)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand arrival: Indra and the Lokapālas with retinues descend upon a quiet hermitage; the contrast between martial splendor and ascetic simplicity dominates the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Sarva-devāḥ (the gods)
• Lokapālāḥ (guardians of the worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the gods approach sages for dharmic counsel and rightful means; tapas and spiritual merit are shown as higher authority than mere power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s sage-āśrama milieu, where divine beings gather in reverence to ascetic power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse depicts a divine visit to an āśrama for a dharmic purpose.