Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

अलभंती तु सा त्राणं वैन्यमेवाभ्यपद्यत । कृतांजलिपुटा देवी पूज्या लोकैस्त्रिभिस्सदा

Transliteration

alabhaṃtī tu sā trāṇaṃ vainyamevābhyapadyata | kṛtāṃjalipuṭā devī pūjyā lokaistribhissadā

Translation

Da sie keinen Schutz fand, suchte sie Zuflucht bei Vainya selbst. Die Göttin Erde, mit gefalteten Händen in Ehrfurcht, ist stets würdig der Verehrung in den drei Welten.

Word by Word

• अलभन्ती: not obtaining
• अलभन्ती: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √लभ् (धातु) → लभत् (शतृ) + नञ्-पूर्वक (अ-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); नकारार्थे ‘अ-’ (not obtaining)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्राणम्: protection, refuge
• त्राणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वैन्यम्: Vainya (Pṛthu)
• वैन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (restrictive particle)

• अभ्यपद्यत: took refuge in, approached
• अभ्यपद्यत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पद् (धातु) → अभ्यपद्यत् (लङ्)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृत-अञ्जलि-पुटा: with hands folded
• कृत-अञ्जलि-पुटा: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (√कृ; क्त/PPP) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘कृत’ + ‘अञ्जलिपुट’ (folded hands); ‘देवी’विशेषण

• देवी: the goddess (Earth as cow)
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पूज्या: worthy of worship
• पूज्या: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (यत्/gerundive)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be worshipped’)

• लोकैः: by the worlds/people
• लोकैः: Karana/Agent-in-passive sense (करण/कर्तृसाधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• त्रिभिः: by the three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण; ‘लोकैः’विशेषण

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhūdevī, the Earth-goddess, stops fleeing and approaches Vainya with folded hands, her face composed yet pleading; Vainya remains armed, but the moment turns toward negotiation.

Characters & Entities

• Devī Mahī (Earth goddess)
• Vainya (Pṛthu)
• Three worlds (trailokya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic powers submit to dharma; refuge and reconciliation can arise from humility and right order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the māhātmya-context, presenting dharma-kathā as spiritually merit-giving for pilgrims.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription, but the verse affirms the worship-worthiness of the Earth goddess (Bhū-devī).