Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

भयात्स्तंभितरूपेण लेलिहानं मुहुर्मुहुः । प्रणतोऽब्रवीन्महादेवि च्यवनं भयपीडितः

Transliteration

bhayātstaṃbhitarūpeṇa lelihānaṃ muhurmuhuḥ | praṇato'bravīnmahādevi cyavanaṃ bhayapīḍitaḥ

Translation

Paralyzed by fear as it licked again and again, he bowed down and spoke to Cyavana, distressed by terror: “O Mahādevī…”

Word by Word

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• स्तम्भितरूपेण: with a frozen/rigid form
• स्तम्भितरूपेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्तम्भितं रूपं यस्य/येन)

• लेलिहानम्: licking (his lips)
• लेलिहानम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिह् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (आत्मनेपदी); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to च्यवनम्)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति द्वारा आवृत्त्यर्थः (reduplication for emphasis)

• प्रणतः: bowed down
• प्रणतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (to implied subject: शतक्रतुः)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• महादेवि: O Great Goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महा देवी)

• च्यवनम्: Cyavana
• च्यवनम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भयपीडितः: afflicted by fear
• भयपीडितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + पीड् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भयेन पीडितः) कर्तृविशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator reporting Indra’s action/speech (within Īśvara’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, frozen with fear, repeatedly watching Mada lick its lips, bows and addresses Cyavana with trembling reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Cyavana
• Śatakratu (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fear turns into wisdom when it leads to surrender, apology, and respect for tapas (ascetic power).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, through the Cyavana-centered sacred account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights praṇāma (bowing) as a moral posture rather than a formal rite.