Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

धरित्रीं बुभुजे दैत्यो देवराजो यथा दिवि । देवेन्द्रो बलिना नित्यं यज्ञैः संतोषितस्तदा

Transliteration

dharitrīṃ bubhuje daityo devarājo yathā divi | devendro balinā nityaṃ yajñaiḥ saṃtoṣitastadā

Translation

Le Daitya Bali jouit de la terre et la gouverna comme le roi des dieux jouit du ciel. En ce temps-là, Devendra (Indra) était sans cesse satisfait par Bali au moyen des sacrifices (yajña).

Word by Word

• धरित्रीम्: the earth
• धरित्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• बुभुजे: enjoyed/possessed
• बुभुजे: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• दैत्यः: the demon (Daitya)
• दैत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• देवराजः: king of the gods (Indra)
• देवराजः: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव+राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां राजा), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपमानपद

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• देवेन्द्रः: Indra
• देवेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव+इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् इन्द्रः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बलिना: by Bali
• बलिना: Kartr-karana/Agent-instrument (Agent causing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative)

• यज्ञैः: with sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• संतोषितः: satisfied/pleased
• संतोषितः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+तुष् (धातु) → सन्तोषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; देवेन्द्रः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sārasvata (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Prabhāsa region)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bali as universal monarch on earth, performing grand sacrifices; Indra in heaven receiving satisfaction/strength from the offerings; a visual contrast of Daitya rule with dharmic ritual order.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Indra (Devendra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Yajña is presented as a stabilizing dharmic act—sacrifice sustains harmony between rulers, people, and the divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse appears within the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya (Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa), where such accounts support the celebratory sacred-history tone of the kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña (sacrificial rites) is explicitly mentioned as the means by which Bali pleased Devendra (Indra).