Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

घंटाहस्ते शूल हस्ते महामहिषमर्दिनि । उग्ररूपे विरूपाक्षि महामायेऽमृते शिवे

Transliteration

ghaṃṭāhaste śūla haste mahāmahiṣamardini | ugrarūpe virūpākṣi mahāmāye'mṛte śive

Translation

Ô Déesse, tenant la cloche en une main et le trident en l’autre ; grande pourfendeuse du puissant démon-buffle ; de forme farouche, aux yeux immenses ; ô Grande Illusion, ô Immortelle, ô Śivā de bon augure !

Word by Word

• घंटाहस्ते: O bell-in-hand
• घंटाहस्ते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (घण्टा हस्ते यस्याः/घण्टायुक्तहस्ता)

• शूल: trident/spear
• शूल: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन विशेषणार्थे

• हस्ते: O (one) with (it) in hand
• हस्ते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; (देवी-विशेषणरूपेण)

• महामहिषमर्दिनि: O slayer of the great buffalo (demon)
• महामहिषमर्दिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामहिष (प्रातिपदिक) + मर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महामहिषस्य मर्दिनी)

• उग्ररूपे: O fierce-formed one
• उग्ररूपे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (उग्रं रूपं यस्याः)

• विरूपाक्षि: O strange-/varied-eyed one
• विरूपाक्षि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि/अक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्याः)

• महामाये: O great Māyā
• महामाये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती माया)

• अमृते: O immortal one / O nectar-like one
• अमृते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• शिवे: O auspicious one
• शिवे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

Speaker

Devas (collectively), offering a hymn of praise

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī appears in a fierce yet auspicious aspect: one hand holding a ringing bell, another gripping a trident; her wide eyes blaze with protective power as devas praise her as Mahīṣamardinī and amṛta-śivā.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Śivā)
• Trident (Śūla)
• Bell (Ghaṇṭā)
• Mahiṣa (buffalo-demon motif)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power is both protective and awe-inspiring; taking refuge in Devī as the deathless, auspicious reality dispels fear and evil.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), praised in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa as a place where the Goddess is honored through stotra and devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

This verse itself is part of a stotra (hymn); the later verses specify the fruits of recitation and fasting/seeing the Goddess on particular lunar days.