Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततः प्रविश्य जलधिं तं दृष्ट्वा दानवं रुषा । खङ्गाग्रेण शिरश्छित्त्वा चर्ममुण्डधरा ततः

Transliteration

tataḥ praviśya jaladhiṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā dānavaṃ ruṣā | khaṅgāgreṇa śiraśchittvā carmamuṇḍadharā tataḥ

Translation

Puis, entrant dans l'océan et voyant ce Danava, elle trancha sa tête avec colère du tranchant de son épée ; ensuite, elle porta la peau et la tête coupée.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम्-अर्थक (then/from there)

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √विश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having entered)

• जलधिम्: the ocean
• जलधिम्: कर्म (Object of entering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having seen)

• दानवम्: the demon
• दानवम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रुषा: with anger
• रुषा: करण (Instrument/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुष्/रुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (instrumental of manner)

• खङ्गाग्रेण: with the sword’s tip/edge
• खङ्गाग्रेण: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (खङ्गस्य अग्रेण)

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• छित्त्वा: having cut off
• छित्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having cut off)

• चर्ममुण्डधरा: wearing skin and a severed head
• चर्ममुण्डधरा: कर्ता (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + धरा (√धृ धातु, टाप्/आ-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (चर्म च मुण्डं च धारयति/धारयन्ती)

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa speaking to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha region) with sāgara-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce goddess plunges into the dark ocean, confronts a Dānava, and with a single sword-stroke severs his head; she rises bearing the flayed hide and the severed head as grim emblems of victory.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Ruru (Dānava)
• Jaladhi (ocean)
• Khaṅga (sword)
• Carmamuṇḍadharā (epithet/form)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not merely defended—it is decisively established; divine justice cuts through chaos even in the depths.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa’s oceanic boundary and sacred waters are foregrounded as the setting of the demon’s final defeat.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; however, the ocean-setting naturally supports the māhātmya theme of tīrtha waters as spiritually potent.