Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

एवंविधं च तं तत्र सा विलोक्य महाप्रभा । हर्षात्पंचानना भूत्वा देवकार्यार्थमुद्यता

Transliteration

evaṃvidhaṃ ca taṃ tatra sā vilokya mahāprabhā | harṣātpaṃcānanā bhūtvā devakāryārthamudyatā

Translation

Voyant en ce lieu cette scène merveilleuse, la Déesse au grand éclat, saisie de joie, prit une forme à cinq visages et se tint prête à accomplir l’œuvre voulue par les dieux.

Word by Word

• एवंविधम्: of such a kind
• एवंविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं-विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समास: एवं + विध (of such a kind)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/and)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विलोक्य: having seen
• विलोक्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक; धातु: वि-लोक्

• महाप्रभा: the greatly radiant (lady)
• महाप्रभा: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणवत् उपाधि; समास: महती प्रभा यस्याः (great radiance)

• हर्षात्: from joy, out of delight
• हर्षात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause)

• पञ्चानना: five-faced
• पञ्चानना: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु-समास: पञ्च आननानि यस्याः (five-faced)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक; धातु: भू ‘to become’

• देवकार्यार्थम्: for the gods’ task/purpose
• देवकार्यार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-कार्य-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे द्वितीया; समास: देवानां कार्यस्य अर्थः (for the purpose of the gods’ task)

• उद्यता: ready, intent
• उद्यता: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (ready, intent)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcānana-Devī-prādurbhāva-sthāna (as implied at this station)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (unspecified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The radiant goddess, thrilled by the cosmic sight, expands into a five-faced form facing the directions, crowned and haloed, poised to act for the gods’ mission; the ocean and sky form a dramatic backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Devāḥ (gods)
• The Goddess (Mahāprabhā, pañcānanā form)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power adapts its form for loka-saṅgraha—protecting cosmic order and completing the work of the devas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Prabhāsa sacred geography context; the immediate focus is the goddess’ transformative readiness rather than naming a new tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the emphasis is on the goddess’ form and divine purpose.