Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

सावित्रीमागतां दृष्ट्वा भीतस्तत्र पुरंदरः । अधोमुखः स्थितो ब्रह्मा किमेषा मां वदिष्यति

Transliteration

sāvitrīmāgatāṃ dṛṣṭvā bhītastatra puraṃdaraḥ | adhomukhaḥ sthito brahmā kimeṣā māṃ vadiṣyati

Translation

Seeing Sāvitrī arrive, Purandara (Indra) there became afraid. Brahmā stood with his face cast down, thinking, “What will she say to me?”

Word by Word

• सावित्रीम्: Sāvitrī
• सावित्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आगताम्: having come/arrived
• आगताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (having come)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — having seen

• भीतः: afraid
• भीतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत (कृदन्त; √भी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (afraid)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• पुरंदरः: Purandara (Indra)
• पुरंदरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरंदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्द्रनाम

• अधोमुखः: with face downcast
• अधोमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—अधोमुख (down-faced)

• स्थितः: stood/was standing
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (standing/remaining)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• एषा: she (this woman)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वदिष्यति: will say/speak
• वदिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sāvitrī arrives with commanding presence; Indra (Purandara) recoils in fear; Brahmā stands downcast, face lowered, inwardly anxious about her words—an intense tableau of divine accountability.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Purandara (Indra)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest beings are bound by dharma and conscience; wrongdoing (or fear of reproach) brings shame and trembling before righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), where this divine episode is narrated as part of its Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is narrative, highlighting ethical consequence rather than a rite.