Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

मया तत्र नियुक्ता वै रक्षार्थं शूलपाणयः । गणाः सहस्रशो देवि पापिनां दुष्टचेतसाम्

Transliteration

mayā tatra niyuktā vai rakṣārthaṃ śūlapāṇayaḥ | gaṇāḥ sahasraśo devi pāpināṃ duṣṭacetasām

Translation

Là, en vérité, j’ai établi pour la protection des milliers et des milliers de gaṇa portant le trident, ô Déesse—contre les pécheurs au dessein mauvais.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adverbial (Deśa/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• नियुक्ताः: were appointed
• नियुक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘appointed/assigned’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात—निश्चयार्थक/उपपादक (indeed)

• रक्षा-अर्थम्: for protection
• रक्षा-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषः (रक्षायै अर्थः → रक्षार्थम्) प्रयोजनार्थे

• शूल-पाणयः: those who have tridents in their hands
• शूल-पाणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—शूलं पाणौ येषां ते

• गणाः: troops/attendants
• गणाः: Apposition (Viśeṣya/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand
• सहस्रशः: Adverbial (Mātrā/मात्रा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (in thousands/ by the thousand)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• पापिनाम्: of sinners
• पापिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• दुष्ट-चेतसाम्: of evil-minded (ones)
• दुष्ट-चेतसाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—दुष्टं चेतः येषाम् (as adjective to पापिनाम्)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapālīśa precinct in Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Thousands of gaṇas, trident-bearing, stationed around the Kapālīśa precinct—forming a protective ring; their fierce forms contrast with the serene sanctum, signaling both mercy and boundary.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Śūlapāṇi gaṇas (trident-bearing attendants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred spaces are guarded by divine order; dharma protects the kṣetra and restrains harmful intentions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, portrayed as divinely protected by Śiva’s gaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; it conveys kṣetra-discipline—approaching holy places with purity of mind and conduct.