Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

भगवान्किं वयं कुर्मः कुत्र यामो निराश्रयाः । तस्माद्ब्रूहि क्षयोपायं महिषस्य दुरात्मनः

Transliteration

bhagavānkiṃ vayaṃ kurmaḥ kutra yāmo nirāśrayāḥ | tasmādbrūhi kṣayopāyaṃ mahiṣasya durātmanaḥ

Translation

Ô Vénérable, que devons-nous faire ? Où irons-nous, privés de refuge ? Dis-nous donc le moyen d'anéantir Mahisha à l'âme perverse.

Word by Word

• भगवान्: O Lord/Venerable one
• भगवान्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (what)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कुर्मः: should we do / do we do
• कुर्मः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कुत्र: where
• कुत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: where)

• यामः: do we go
• यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• निराश्रयाः: without refuge
• निराश्रयाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (without refuge/support)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that)

• ब्रूहि: tell (us)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षय-उपायम्: the means to destroy
• क्षय-उपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः: क्षयस्य उपायः (means of destruction)

• महिषस्य: of the buffalo(-demon)
• महिषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दुरात्मनः: of the wicked-souled (one)
• दुरात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Devas (addressing Bṛhaspati)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king/sages (frame audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devas, visibly shaken, bow before Bṛhaspati; their hands folded, faces pleading. Bṛhaspati remains steady, embodying wisdom as they ask for the means to destroy the wicked Mahiṣa.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Bṛhaspati
• Mahiṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When overwhelmed, turning to a rightful teacher with humility and a dharmic aim is the beginning of deliverance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a supplication seeking a ‘kṣayopāya’ (means of destruction) of the oppressor.