Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा कलियुगं घोरं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् । नियुक्तस्तत्र देवेशि रक्षार्थं विघ्ननायकः

Transliteration

jñātvā kaliyugaṃ ghoraṃ hāhābhūtamacetanam | niyuktastatra deveśi rakṣārthaṃ vighnanāyakaḥ

Translation

Sachant, ô Devī, l’effroyable âge de Kali—où les êtres, égarés, poussent des cris de détresse—Vighnanāyaka y fut établi pour la protection.

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• कलियुगम्: the Kali age
• कलियुगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कलेः युगम्)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• हाहाभूतम्: become a cry of ‘hāhā’ (full of lament)
• हाहाभूतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाहा + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (हाहा-रूपं भूतम्)

• अचेतनम्: insentient, bewildered
• अचेतनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नियुक्तः: appointed
• नियुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+युज् (धातु) → नियुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• देवेशि: O goddess (Deveśī)
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषार्थे अव्ययवत् (purpose expression)

• विघ्ननायकः: the leader/remover of obstacles (Gaṇeśa)
• विघ्ननायकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विघ्नानां नायकः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the coastal Prabhāsa-kṣetra, Devī is addressed while Vighnanāyaka is installed as a vigilant guardian against Kali-yuga’s confusion and distress.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Vighnanāyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• Devī
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali-yuga, divine guardianship is emphasized—Vighnanāyaka is established to protect dharma and the sanctity of the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is implied as the protected sacred region where Vighnanāyaka is stationed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse provides theological context for invoking Vighnanāyaka as protector in Kali-yuga.