Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

राक्षसेनौजसा युक्तं रूपेण च बलेन च । निसर्गाद्दारुणः क्रूरो रावणाद्रावणः स्मृतः

Transliteration

rākṣasenaujasā yuktaṃ rūpeṇa ca balena ca | nisargāddāruṇaḥ krūro rāvaṇādrāvaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Endowed with the fierce vigor of the rākṣasas—possessing beauty as well as strength—he was by nature dreadful and cruel; therefore he is remembered as Rāvaṇa, “the one who makes others cry out.”

Word by Word

• राक्षसेन: with rākṣasa-like
• राक्षसेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग (as qualifier)

• ओजसा: vigor/energy
• ओजसा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युक्तम्: endowed
• युक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of implied object: Rāvaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle: 'endowed/connected')

• रूपेण: with form/beauty
• रूपेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• बलेन: with strength
• बलेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निसर्गात्: by nature
• निसर्गात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे

• दारुणः: terrible
• दारुणः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रूरः: cruel
• क्रूरः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रावणात्: from Rāvaṇa
• रावणात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादान (source: 'from Rāvaṇa')

• रावणः: Rāvaṇa
• रावणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is said/remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriyā (Predicative verbal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (PPP used predicatively: 'is said/remembered')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa Māhātmya discourse style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāvaṇa is portrayed as possessing rākṣasa-ojas, with both beauty and strength, yet innately dreadful and cruel; the verse culminates in a folk-etymology: ‘Rāvaṇa’ as one who makes others cry out.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power and outward brilliance, when joined to cruelty, become a cause of fear and downfall; character (svabhāva) determines one’s legacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the overarching sacred setting of this Māhātmya, within which these Purāṇic histories are narrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific vrata, snāna, dāna, or japa is stated in this verse; it provides etymology and moral characterization.