Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

रक्षकं जगतां देवं जगाम शरणं स्वयम् । प्रवर्तयामास च तं यज्ञं दक्षोऽथ निर्भयः

Transliteration

rakṣakaṃ jagatāṃ devaṃ jagāma śaraṇaṃ svayam | pravartayāmāsa ca taṃ yajñaṃ dakṣo'tha nirbhayaḥ

Translation

Dakṣa selbst suchte Zuflucht bei dem göttlichen Beschützer der Welten; und dann, furchtlos geworden, setzte er jenes Opfer wieder in Gang.

Word by Word

• रक्षकं: protector
• रक्षकं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक; √रक्ष् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• देवं: the god
• देवं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शरणं: for refuge
• शरणं: Gati/Adhikarana (Goal/गति-आश्रय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as goal)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रवर्तयामास: set in motion / initiated
• प्रवर्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative)

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

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

• यज्ञं: sacrifice
• यज्ञं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (Anukrama/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: Karta (as qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दक्षः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dakṣa, humbled, approaches the radiant Protector of worlds with folded hands; the atmosphere shifts from dread to calm; attendants rekindle the yajña fire as confidence returns.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Protector of the worlds (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa context)
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True security in ritual and life arises from taking refuge in the divine protector, not from pride in one’s authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The account is embedded in the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions resuming/initiating a yajña (sacrificial rite), but gives no procedural details.