Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 111

Devanagari script

वहामि शिरसा भक्त्या त्वदीक्षाशंकितोऽपि सन् । अपि विष्णुस्त्रिभुवनं परित्रातुं व्यवस्थया

Transliteration

vahāmi śirasā bhaktyā tvadīkṣāśaṃkito'pi san | api viṣṇustribhuvanaṃ paritrātuṃ vyavasthayā

Translation

Even while wary of Your glance, I bear Your command upon my head in devotion; and thus Viṣṇu too, by ordained arrangement, protects the three worlds.

Word by Word

• वहामि: I carry/bear
• वहामि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — I bear/carry

• शिरसा: with (my) head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (your)

• ईक्षाशंकितः: apprehensive of (your) glance
• ईक्षाशंकितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईक्षा + शंकित (प्रातिपदिक; √शङ्क्-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; तत्पुरुष (ईक्षया शंकितः / ईक्षायाः शंकितः)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कारक अव्यय — even/also

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — being

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कारक अव्यय — even/also

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• त्रिभुवनम्: the three worlds
• त्रिभुवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि भुवनानि)

• परित्रातुम्: to protect
• परित्रातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√त्रा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), अव्यय — to protect/save

• व्यवस्थया: by arrangement/with due order
• व्यवस्थया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular

Speaker

Śiva (deduced, addressing Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deity-speaker bows with folded hands, symbolically placing a command or emblem upon the head; in the background Viṣṇu stands as guardian of the three worlds under a canopy of cosmic order.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine functions operate through an ordained cosmic order, and devotion aligns even great powers with that higher arrangement.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse highlights bhakti and the protective role of Viṣṇu.