Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा तदा देवं वीक्षांचक्रे महेश्वरः । तृतीय लोचनेनैव ज्वालामालोपशोभिना

Transliteration

evamuktvā tadā devaṃ vīkṣāṃcakre maheśvaraḥ | tṛtīya locanenaiva jvālāmālopaśobhinā

Translation

Having spoken thus, Mahēśvara fixed his gaze upon the deity, with his third eye—resplendent as though adorned with a garland of flames.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having said’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• देवम्: the god (Viṣṇu)
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वीक्षाम्: a glance
• वीक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘a look/glance’ (कर्मरूपेण)

• चक्रे: made/directed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः (महान् ईश्वरः)

• तृतीय: with the third
• तृतीय: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (लोचनेन)

• लोचनेन: eye
• लोचनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ज्वालामालोपशोभिना: adorned with a garland of flames
• ज्वालामालोपशोभिना: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला + माला + उपशोभिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-विशेषणम् (लोचनेन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/समाहारः (ज्वालानां माला तया उपशोभिन् = ‘adorned with a garland of flames’)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Taptodakuṇḍa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kṛṣṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahēśvara turns toward the presiding deity and opens/activates the third eye; a radiant flame-garland arcs from his brow, illuminating the kund and the surrounding quarters.

Characters & Entities

• Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• Third eye

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s third eye symbolizes transformative power—what burns impurity can also consecrate and generate holy benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The action directly precedes the manifestation and naming of Taptodakuṇḍa in Prabhāsa Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it narrates the consecratory act behind the tīrtha’s potency.