Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

भयार्त्ता दानवाः सर्वे पलायनपरायणाः । प्रभासं क्षेत्रमासाद्य समुद्राभिमुखा भवन्

Transliteration

bhayārttā dānavāḥ sarve palāyanaparāyaṇāḥ | prabhāsaṃ kṣetramāsādya samudrābhimukhā bhavan

Translation

Tous les Dānavas, saisis d’effroi et n’ayant pour seul dessein que la fuite, atteignirent le kṣetra sacré de Prabhāsa et se tournèrent vers la mer.

Word by Word

• भयार्त्ताः: afflicted with fear
• भयार्त्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थ: ‘भयेन आर्ताः’ (afflicted by fear)

• दानवाः: the Dānavas
• दानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पलायनपरायणाः: intent on flight
• पलायनपरायणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पलायन (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पलायने परायणाः’ (devoted to fleeing)

• प्रभासम्: Prabhāsa
• प्रभासम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Kriyā (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having reached/approached’

• समुद्राभिमुखाः: facing the sea
• समुद्राभिमुखाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘समुद्रं अभिमुखाः’ (facing the sea)

• भवन्: became/were
• भवन्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपद) / अनद्यतनभूत (Imperfect); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (छन्दसि ‘भवन्’ = ‘अभवन्’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (contextual) and the Purāṇic audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Terrified Dānavas flee and arrive at Prabhāsa, turning toward the roaring sea, with the sense of being cornered by sacred destiny.

Characters & Entities

• Dānavas
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Samudra (Ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma ultimately retreats before divine presence; sacred space becomes the arena where protection and purification are revealed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, explicitly named, with its coastal sacred setting (facing the ocean).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse situates the action at Prabhāsa, supporting its Māhātmya.