Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

एवंविधं च तं तत्र सा विलोक्य महाप्रभा । हर्षात्पंचानना भूत्वा देवकार्यार्थमुद्यता

Transliteration

evaṃvidhaṃ ca taṃ tatra sā vilokya mahāprabhā | harṣātpaṃcānanā bhūtvā devakāryārthamudyatā

Translation

Als sie dort jenes wunderbare Bild erblickte, wurde die strahlende Göttin in freudiger Erhebung fünfflätig und machte sich bereit, das Vorhaben der Götter zu vollbringen.

Word by Word

• एवंविधम्: of such a kind
• एवंविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं-विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समास: एवं + विध (of such a kind)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/and)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक)

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

• विलोक्य: having seen
• विलोक्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक; धातु: वि-लोक्

• महाप्रभा: the greatly radiant (lady)
• महाप्रभा: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणवत् उपाधि; समास: महती प्रभा यस्याः (great radiance)

• हर्षात्: from joy, out of delight
• हर्षात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause)

• पञ्चानना: five-faced
• पञ्चानना: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु-समास: पञ्च आननानि यस्याः (five-faced)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक; धातु: भू ‘to become’

• देवकार्यार्थम्: for the gods’ task/purpose
• देवकार्यार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-कार्य-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे द्वितीया; समास: देवानां कार्यस्य अर्थः (for the purpose of the gods’ task)

• उद्यता: ready, intent
• उद्यता: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (ready, intent)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcānana-Devī-prādurbhāva-sthāna (as implied at this station)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (unspecified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The radiant goddess, thrilled by the cosmic sight, expands into a five-faced form facing the directions, crowned and haloed, poised to act for the gods’ mission; the ocean and sky form a dramatic backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Devāḥ (gods)
• The Goddess (Mahāprabhā, pañcānanā form)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power adapts its form for loka-saṅgraha—protecting cosmic order and completing the work of the devas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Prabhāsa sacred geography context; the immediate focus is the goddess’ transformative readiness rather than naming a new tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the emphasis is on the goddess’ form and divine purpose.