Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

तेषां तुष्टो जगन्नाथः शंकरो नीललोहितः । त्रिंशत्कोटिगणस्तत्र प्राचीं रक्षंति सर्वतः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ tuṣṭo jagannāthaḥ śaṃkaro nīlalohitaḥ | triṃśatkoṭigaṇastatra prācīṃ rakṣaṃti sarvataḥ

Translation

Pleased with them, the Lord of the world—Śaṅkara, the Blue-and-Red One (Nīlalohita)—there appoints hosts of gaṇas, thirty koṭis in number, who guard the eastern quarter on every side.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• तुष्टः: pleased
• तुष्टः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle: 'pleased'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'जगन्नाथः/शंकरः' इति विशेषणम्

• जगन्नाथः: Lord of the world
• जगन्नाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जगतः नाथः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular; apposition)

• नीललोहितः: Nīlalohita (blue-red one; epithet of Śiva)
• नीललोहितः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (नीलश्चासौ लोहितश्च/नील-लोहितः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेषणरूपेण

• त्रिंशत्कोटिगणः: a host of thirty crores (of attendants)
• त्रिंशत्कोटिगणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्या) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुष (त्रिंशत्-कोटि-गणः = thirty-crore hosts); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• प्राचीम्: the eastern quarter / Prācī (region)
• प्राचीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular; direction/region)

• रक्षन्ति: protect
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd plural present)

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिग्वाचक/परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'from all sides')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (prācī-bhāga)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara as Nīlalohita stands at Prabhāsa’s eastern precinct, gesturing command; innumerable gaṇas form a luminous protective ring facing the sunrise over the sea/shoreline, with kṣetra markers and pilgrims in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Jagannātha (as Lord of the world)
• Śaṅkara
• Nīlalohita (Rudra)
• Gaṇas
• Prācī (east)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A holy kṣetra is not merely geographic—it is divinely governed and protected, reflecting Śiva’s favor toward devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, described as being under the protective presence of Śiva’s gaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite; the verse emphasizes Śiva’s satisfaction and the protective ordering of the kṣetra.