Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ज्वालामालाकरालां तां यादवा भयविह्वलाः । दृष्ट्वा जनार्द्दनं सर्वे शरणार्थमुपागताः

Transliteration

jvālāmālākarālāṃ tāṃ yādavā bhayavihvalāḥ | dṛṣṭvā janārddanaṃ sarve śaraṇārthamupāgatāḥ

Translation

Voyant cette forme terrifiante ceinte de guirlandes de flammes, les Yādava, saisis d’effroi, s’approchèrent tous de Janārdana pour chercher refuge.

Word by Word

• ज्वालामालाकरालाम्: terrible with a garland of flames
• ज्वालामालाकरालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला + माला + कराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘ताम्’ इति सर्वनाम्नः विशेषणम्

• ताम्: her/that (female)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यादवाः: the Yādavas
• यादवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• भयविह्वलाः: agitated by fear
• भयविह्वलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—‘यादवाः’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया—‘seeing’

• जनार्द्दनम्: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्द्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्द्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—‘यादवाः’

• शरणार्थम्: for refuge
• शरणार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शरण + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय—उद्देश्य/प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of refuge)

• उपागताः: approached/came near
• उपागताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे—‘they came/approached’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-ādi ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A towering, flame-garlanded Kṛtyā advances; the Yādavas recoil in terror and rush as a group toward Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana), hands folded, seeking protection.

Characters & Entities

• Yādavas
• Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• Kṛtyā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In overwhelming danger, the purāṇic ideal is śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in the Divine as the highest protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the implied setting through the Yādavas and the approaching threat.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes surrender rather than ritual action.