Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

गतप्रभावाः सूर्याद्या ज्योतींषि न विरेजिरे । त्रैलोक्यं व्याकुलीभूतं तलनृत्यप्रभावतः

Transliteration

gataprabhāvāḥ sūryādyā jyotīṃṣi na virejire | trailokyaṃ vyākulībhūtaṃ talanṛtyaprabhāvataḥ

Translation

Die Gestirne, allen voran die Sonne, verloren ihren Glanz und leuchteten nicht mehr. Die drei Welten gerieten durch die Macht von Talos Tanz in Aufruhr.

Word by Word

• gata-prabhāvāḥ: having lost their radiance
• gata-prabhāvāḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam/गम्, क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (येषां प्रभावः गतः ते = whose radiance/power has gone)

• sūrya-ādyāḥ: the Sun and the others (luminaries)
• sūrya-ādyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यः आदिः येषां ते = the Sun and others)

• jyotīṃṣi: lights, luminaries
• jyotīṃṣi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• virejire: shone, were resplendent
• virejire: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rāj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (reduplicated perfect of vi+√rāj)

• trailokyam: the three worlds
• trailokyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; Nom/Acc), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः लोकाः = three worlds)

• vyākulī-bhūtam: became distressed, thrown into turmoil
• vyākulī-bhūtam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyākulī (प्रातिपदिक; abstract/state) + bhūta (कृदन्त; √bhū/भू, क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; Nom/Acc), एकवचन; क्तान्त कृदन्त विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (व्याकुलीभूत = become distressed/confused)

• tala-nṛtya-prabhāvataḥ: due to the power/effect of Tala’s dance
• tala-nṛtya-prabhāvataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tala (प्रातिपदिक) + nṛtya (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √nṛt/नृत्, भाव/कर्मणि) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = "-तः"; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तलनृत्यस्य प्रभावः) + तः (from/because of)

Speaker

Narrator (exact speaker not present in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience within the mahatmya frame (traditionally sages/śaunaka-type setting)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: the Sun and other luminaries dimmed, skies ashen; the three worlds tremble while the dānava Talo performs a forceful dance that sends shockwaves through heaven, earth, and nether realms.

Characters & Entities

• Sun (Sūrya)
• Luminaries (Jyotīṃṣi)
• Three worlds (Trailokya)
• Talo

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When destructive power dominates, even ‘lights’ (outer and inner) dim—prompting a turn toward the divine source that restores order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, whose māhātmya highlights divine sovereignty over the three worlds and the restoration of cosmic harmony.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual observance is described in this verse.