Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

संकर्षणाभयदाने कृष्णच्छविसमप्रभे । एकानंशे महादेवि पुत्रवत्त्राहि मां शिव

Transliteration

saṃkarṣaṇābhayadāne kṛṣṇacchavisamaprabhe | ekānaṃśe mahādevi putravattrāhi māṃ śiva

Translation

Ô toi qui accordes l’intrépidité à Saṃkarṣaṇa, ô rayonnante dont l’éclat égale la teinte de Kṛṣṇa, ô Ekānaṃśā, Grande Déesse ; ô Bienheureuse, protège-moi comme un fils.

Word by Word

• संकर्षणाभयदाने: O giver of fearlessness like Saṅkarṣaṇa
• संकर्षणाभयदाने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + अभय (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); (अभयदानस्य संकर्षणः/संकर्षणसम्बन्धि अभयदानम्) इत्यर्थे विशेषणवत्

• कृष्णच्छविसमप्रभे: O one whose radiance equals Kṛṣṇa’s complexion
• कृष्णच्छविसमप्रभे: Sambodhana (Address-qualifier/सम्बोधनविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + छवि (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• एकानंशे: O Ekānaṃśā
• एकानंशे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एका (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महादेवि: O great Goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुत्रवत्: as (your) son
• पुत्रवत्: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (adverbial ‘like a son’)

• त्राहि: protect
• त्राहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिव: O auspicious one / O Śivā
• शिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); (स्त्रीलिङ्गे ‘शिवे’ अपेक्षितम्, पाठानुसारं ‘शिव’ इति)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ekānaṃśā Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devī is envisioned radiant, with a hue comparable to Kṛṣṇa’s dark-blue splendor; Yudhiṣṭhira petitions her for protection ‘like a son’. The atmosphere blends tenderness (maternal) with power (abhaya).

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Ekānaṃśā)
• Saṃkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is praised as the granter of fearlessness and maternal protection, sought especially in vulnerable moments like travel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as a kṣetra-prayer within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa pilgrimage setting, emphasizing Devī’s guardianship of the locale.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Protective stotra-recitation (rakṣā-japa) calling upon Devī as abhayadāyinī (giver of fearlessness).