Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

पंचविशतितत्त्वानाम धिपो देवताग्रणीः । तस्मिन्स्थाने स्थितः साक्षाद्दैत्यानामंतकः शुभे

Transliteration

paṃcaviśatitattvānāma dhipo devatāgraṇīḥ | tasminsthāne sthitaḥ sākṣāddaityānāmaṃtakaḥ śubhe

Translation

Der Vortrefflichste unter den Göttern, der unmittelbar waltende Herr der fünfundzwanzig Tattvas, der Vernichter der Daityas, weilt dort selbst sichtbar, o Glückverheißender.

Word by Word

• paṃcaviṃśati-tattvānām: of the twenty-five principles
• paṃcaviṃśati-tattvānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcaviṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (paṃcaviṃśateḥ tattvānām)

• adhipaḥ: the lord
• adhipaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• devatā-graṇīḥ: leader of the gods
• devatā-graṇīḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक) + graṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (devatānāṃ graṇīḥ)

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• sthāne: place
• sthāne: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• sthitaḥ: abiding/standing
• sthitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sākṣāt: directly, in person
• sākṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: directly, manifestly)

• daityānām-antakaḥ: destroyer of the Daityas
• daityānām-antakaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (daityānām antakaḥ)

• śubhe: O auspicious one
• śubhe: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे/अधिकरणे (O auspicious one / in auspicious [place])

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supreme deity-form (interpretable as Viṣṇu or Īśvara) stands radiant at Prabhāsa, one hand in protection, another holding discus or trident-like emblem depending on sectarian lens; beneath, subdued daityas symbolize conquered inner darkness; a 25-petal mandala crowns the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa
• Devatāgraṇī (chief of gods)
• Daityas
• Paṃcaviṃśati-tattva (twenty-five principles)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prabhāsa is not only purifying but protective—divine presence there upholds dharma and subdues demonic opposition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the ‘devatāgraṇī’ is said to abide directly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes the manifest residence and protective power of the deity at Prabhāsa.