Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तदा भयान्वितश्चन्द्रो मत्वा दैत्यं दुरासदम् । पीयूषभक्षणोद्युक्तं ततश्चार्बुदमभ्यगात्

Transliteration

tadā bhayānvitaścandro matvā daityaṃ durāsadam | pīyūṣabhakṣaṇodyuktaṃ tataścārbudamabhyagāt

Translation

Alors la Lune, saisie de crainte, jugeant ce daitya difficile à vaincre et résolu à dévorer le nectar, se rendit ensuite au mont Arbuda.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• भयान्वितः: filled with fear
• भयान्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (√i/√vī?; ‘anvita’ as PPP from anu-√i, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: ‘भयेन अन्वितः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

• चन्द्रः: the Moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √man (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• दैत्यम्: the demon
• दैत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, accusative singular

• दुरासदम्: hard to approach/assail
• दुरासदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + āsada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नञ्/दुर्-पूर्वक: ‘दुरासद’ = difficult to approach/assail), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, accusative singular (agreeing with ‘दैत्यम्’)

• पीयूषभक्षणोद्युक्तम्: intent on drinking the nectar
• पीयूषभक्षणोद्युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīyūṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + udyukta (ud-√yuj, धातु; क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘पीयूषस्य भक्षणे उद्युक्तः’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, accusative singular (agreeing with ‘दैत्यम्’)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्बुदम्: Arbuda (mountain/place)
• अर्बुदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arbuda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, accusative singular

• अभ्यगात्: went towards, approached
• अभ्यगात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√gam (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; aorist, active, 3rd person singular

Speaker

Pulastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (context for Candrodbheda)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (rājan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Moon deity, anxious and pale, travels toward the Arbuda mountain; looming behind is the terrifying Rāhu intent on amṛta; Arbuda rises as a protective, sacred massif with hidden tīrtha waters.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)
• Daitya (demon)
• Amṛta/Pīyūṣa (nectar)
• Arbuda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy landscapes are portrayed as refuges in crisis; turning toward a sacred place is aligned with seeking divine protection and restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arbuda (the sacred mountain region) as the setting for the Moon’s refuge, supporting the Candrodbheda tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates the movement of Candra to Arbuda as part of the tīrtha’s backstory.