Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

योऽसौ देवगणाध्यक्षः साक्षाच्च त्रिपुरान्तकः । गजरूपं समाश्रित्य ह्युन्नते जगति स्थितः । प्राभासिके महाक्षेत्रे गणानां कोटिभिर्वृतः

Transliteration

yo'sau devagaṇādhyakṣaḥ sākṣācca tripurāntakaḥ | gajarūpaṃ samāśritya hyunnate jagati sthitaḥ | prābhāsike mahākṣetre gaṇānāṃ koṭibhirvṛtaḥ

Translation

Er ist der Herr der göttlichen Scharen, wahrhaft Tripurāntaka selbst; in Elefantengestalt steht er erhaben in der Welt, im großen heiligen Feld von Prabhāsa, umgeben von Krores von Gaṇas.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Apposition/Anvaya (Co-referent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• देवगणाध्यक्षः: chief of the divine hosts
• देवगणाध्यक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + गण + अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; (देवगणानाम् अध्यक्षः)

• साक्षात्: directly; manifestly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• त्रिपुरान्तकः: destroyer of Tripura
• त्रिपुरान्तकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुर + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; (त्रिपुरस्य अन्तकः)

• गजरूपम्: elephant-form
• गजरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; (गजस्य रूपम्)

• समाश्रित्य: having assumed; having resorted to
• समाश्रित्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• उन्नते: lofty; elevated
• उन्नते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्नत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जगति: in the world
• जगति: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• स्थितः: standing; situated
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे विशेषणवत्

• प्राभासिके: in/at Prābhāsa
• प्राभासिके: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राभासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महाक्षेत्रे: in the great sacred field
• महाक्षेत्रे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; (महच्च तत् क्षेत्रम्)

• गणानाम्: of the gaṇas (attendants)
• गणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• कोटिभिः: by crores; by multitudes
• कोटिभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (परिवृतः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prābhāsika Vināyaka (Gaṇādhyakṣa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic Vināyaka/gaṇādhyakṣa, equated with Tripurāntaka, stands exalted in Prabhāsa in elephant form, encircled by countless gaṇas—an overwhelming vision of divine host and protection.

Characters & Entities

• Devagaṇa
• Tripurāntaka (Śiva)
• Gajarūpa (elephant form)
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred place reveals divine manifestation—cosmic Śaiva power is present and approachable through the deity’s form.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Mahākṣetra, where the elephant-form deity is described as enthroned amid hosts of gaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse provides theological identification and the majesty of the presence at the site.