Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

पुरा मम गणा देवि असंख्याता महावलाः । क्षेत्रं माहेश्वरं ज्ञात्वा प्रभासं समुपागमन्

Transliteration

purā mama gaṇā devi asaṃkhyātā mahāvalāḥ | kṣetraṃ māheśvaraṃ jñātvā prabhāsaṃ samupāgaman

Translation

Autrefois, ô Devī, mes gaṇas—innombrables et d’une grande vaillance—sachant que Prabhāsa était un kṣetra sacré de Māheśvara (śivaïte), s’y rendirent.

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (formerly/once)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• gaṇāḥ: attendants/hosts
• gaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• asaṃkhyātāḥ: countless
• asaṃkhyātāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + saṃkhyāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; नञ्-समासपूर्वक-विशेषणम् (countless)

• mahā-valāḥ: very strong
• mahā-valāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (great in strength) विशेषणम् (of gaṇāḥ)

• kṣetram: the sacred field/place
• kṣetram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• māheśvaram: belonging to Maheśvara (Śiva)
• māheśvaram: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of kṣetram)

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund): having known

• prabhāsam: Prabhāsa
• prabhāsam: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; देश/तीर्थ-नाम

• samupāgaman: came/approached
• samupāgaman: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-upa-ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; उपसर्गाः सम्+उप+आ

Speaker

Śiva (addressing Devī/Pārvatī, inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (as Māheśvara-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast host of Śiva’s gaṇas—varied forms, armed and ascetic—arrive at Prabhāsa, recognizing it as a Māheśvara holy field; the coastal shrine-town looms ahead.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devī
• Gaṇa
• Prabhāsa
• Māheśvara-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sacred places draw even divine beings; recognizing a kṣetra’s Śaiva nature inspires pilgrimage and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, identified explicitly as a Māheśvara holy region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage/approaching the kṣetra is implied; no specific dāna or japa is stated in this verse.