Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 105

Devanagari script

वडवा स्वोदराद्गर्भं ज्वालामालासमाकुलम् । विमुच्य तमृषेस्तस्य पुरो गर्भं समुज्जवलम्

Transliteration

vaḍavā svodarādgarbhaṃ jvālāmālāsamākulam | vimucya tamṛṣestasya puro garbhaṃ samujjavalam

Translation

牝馬は自らの腹から、炎の輪に囲まれた胎児を解き放った。それは光り輝き、燃え盛っており、その輝く「胎内」を賢者の前に置いた。

Word by Word

• वडवा: the mare
• वडवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वडवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वोदरात्: from her own belly
• स्वोदरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य उदरम्)

• गर्भम्: embryo/fetus
• गर्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्वालामालासमाकुलम्: filled with garlands/streams of flames
• ज्वालामालासमाकुलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थे (ज्वालामालाभिः समाकुलम्)

• विमुच्य: having released
• विमुच्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + √मुच् (धातु) → विमुच्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having released’

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऋषेः: of the sage
• ऋषेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पुरः: in front (of)
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘in front of’)

• गर्भम्: the embryo
• गर्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समुज्ज्वलम्: brightly blazing; radiant
• समुज्ज्वलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उत् (उपसर्गौ) + √ज्वल् (धातु) → समुज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The vaḍavā releases a blazing foetus/womb encircled by garlands of flame, placed before the sage—an object of intense light, like a living fire-embryo.

Characters & Entities

• Vaḍavā
• Ṛṣi (unnamed here)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tejas (radiant power) is depicted as tangible and awe-inspiring, yet still placed within the presence of a sage—signifying dharma’s capacity to face and order power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose māhātmya frames cosmic events as part of the sanctity of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it functions as narrative foundation for the place’s greatness.