Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स्वर्भानुः स महावीर्यो वक्त्रयोधी महासुराः । समाराध्य महादेवं दिव्येन तपसा प्रभुम्

Transliteration

svarbhānuḥ sa mahāvīryo vaktrayodhī mahāsurāḥ | samārādhya mahādevaṃ divyena tapasā prabhum

Translation

Svarbhānu, der mächtige, heldenhafte große Asura, berühmt im Kampf, besänftigte den Herrn Mahādeva, den höchsten Gebieter, durch göttlichen Tapas.

Word by Word

• स्वर्भानुः: Svarbhānu (Rāhu)
• स्वर्भानुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Co-referential subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महावीर्यः: of great valor
• महावीर्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय

• वक्त्र-योधी: fighter with the mouth/face (mouth-combatant)
• वक्त्र-योधी: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + योधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (वक्त्रेण/वक्त्रस्य योधी)

• महासुरः: great asura
• महासुरः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; पाठे 'महासुराः' इति बहुवचनं सम्भवति, अत्र सन्दर्भानुसारं एकवचनार्थः (स्वर्भानुः)

• समाराध्य: having propitiated
• समाराध्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय

• दिव्येन: with divine
• दिव्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (Appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unknown (narrative within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya; likely Īśvara/Śiva continuing instruction to Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Svarbhānu, renowned for battle, stands before a radiant liṅga in Prabhāsa, offering intense divine austerity—stillness, fire, and unwavering gaze—transforming martial energy into devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Svarbhānu (Rāhu)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even formidable beings attain spiritual results by sincere tapas directed to Mahādeva, showing the supremacy of devotion and austerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), within the Rāhvīśvara Māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) as a means of propitiating Mahādeva.