Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ततो देवा महेंद्राद्या दुःखेनैव समन्विताः । परिभूता मनुष्यैस्ते शंकरं शरणं गताः

Transliteration

tato devā maheṃdrādyā duḥkhenaiva samanvitāḥ | paribhūtā manuṣyaiste śaṃkaraṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ

Translation

Da wurden die Götter, allen voran der große Indra, von Kummer erfüllt; von den Menschen gedemütigt, suchten sie Zuflucht bei Śaṅkara.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• maheṃdra-ādyāḥ: beginning with Mahendra (Indra)
• maheṃdra-ādyāḥ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahendra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण देवाः इत्यस्य (‘beginning with Mahendra/Indra’)

• duḥkhena: with sorrow
• duḥkhena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतु/साधनभावे (by/with sorrow)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• samanvitāḥ: endowed/filled (with)
• samanvitāḥ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + anvit (धातु √i/anu + क्त; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण देवाः इत्यस्य

• paribhūtāḥ: humiliated/overpowered
• paribhūtāḥ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari + bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण देवाः इत्यस्य

• manuṣyaiḥ: by humans
• manuṣyaiḥ: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृ-करणभावे (by humans)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम—देवाः इत्यस्य पुनरुक्ति

• śaṃkaram: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• śaṃkaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वितीया-प्रयोगः ‘शरणं गम्’ इति क्रियायाम्

• gatāḥ: went/approached
• gatāḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘गत’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्रियार्थे—‘went/have gone’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra and the devas, faces downcast, approach Śaṅkara in supplication, their celestial splendor dimmed by sorrow; Śiva stands tranquil, the axis of refuge.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Mahendra)
• Devāḥ
• Śaṅkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the gods rely on Śiva as the final refuge when cosmic order is overturned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode belongs to Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, centered on Someśvara/Śaṅkara at Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes the devas’ surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Śaṅkara.