Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

महिषो नाम विख्यातस्त्रैलोक्याधिपतिर्बली । दनुवंशसमुद्भूतः कामरूपसमन्वितः

Transliteration

mahiṣo nāma vikhyātastrailokyādhipatirbalī | danuvaṃśasamudbhūtaḥ kāmarūpasamanvitaḥ

Translation

“There is one famed as Mahiṣa—powerful, claiming lordship over the three worlds; born of the Danu lineage and possessed of the power to assume forms at will.”

Word by Word

• महिषः: Mahiṣa (a being named Mahisha)
• महिषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Appositive marker/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निपात (indeclinable used to indicate name)

• विख्यातः: renowned
• विख्यातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ख्यात (प्रातिपदिक; √ख्ये/ख्यात)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्याधिपतिः: lord of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्याधिपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्यस्य अधिपतिः)

• बली: mighty
• बली: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त

• दनुवंशसमुद्भूतः: born from the Danu lineage
• दनुवंशसमुद्भूतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दनु + वंश + समुद्भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (दनुवंशात्/दनुवंशस्य समुद्भूतः = sprung from Danu lineage)

• कामरूपसमन्वितः: endowed with shape-shifting (at will)
• कामरूपसमन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामरूप + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (कामरूपेण समन्वितः = endowed with ability to assume forms at will)

Speaker

Vicakṣaṇa (addressing the Goddess; within Pulastya’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda (Arbudācala)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable Dānava king named Mahiṣa is introduced—radiant with martial power, crowned, surrounded by asuric retinue; subtle visual hint of his kāmarūpa-śakti (multiple shadow-forms or shifting silhouettes).

Characters & Entities

• Mahiṣa
• Danu
• Vicakṣaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly power and fame—even supernatural ability—do not equal righteousness; they are often portrayed as tests of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The speech occurs in the Arbuda sacred region, reinforcing Arbuda Parvata’s devotional narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.