Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

स देवः कथमीशानो हयग्रीवत्वमागतः । प्रह्लादार्थे स चेशानो रूपं कृत्वा भयावहम्

Transliteration

sa devaḥ kathamīśāno hayagrīvatvamāgataḥ | prahlādārthe sa ceśāno rūpaṃ kṛtvā bhayāvaham

Translation

ആ ഈശാനൻ, പരമാധിപതി, എങ്ങനെ ഹയഗ്രീവത്വം പ്രാപിച്ചു? പ്രഹ്ലാദന്റെ ഹിതാർത്ഥം അതേ പ്രഭു ഭയാവഹമായ രൂപം ധരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय

• ईशानः: the Lord
• ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हयग्रीवत्वम्: the state of being Hayagrīva
• हयग्रीवत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयग्रीव + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of being Hayagrīva)

• आगतः: attained/assumed
• आगतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तरि कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रह्लादार्थे: for Prahlāda's sake
• प्रह्लादार्थे: Hetu/Purpose (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/प्रयोजने (for the sake of Prahlāda)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• ईशानः: the Lord
• ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/assumed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त

• भयावहम्: bringing fear
• भयावहम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (भयं आवहति इति) विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta addressing sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A question is posed: how did the Supreme Lord become Hayagrīva, and how did He assume a fearsome form for Prahlāda’s sake—suggesting a devotional tableau where terror is transmuted into protection.

Characters & Entities

• Īśāna (Lord)
• Hayagrīva
• Prahlāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s sovereignty includes compassionate intervention: He takes even fearsome forms to safeguard devoted righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse supports the section’s devotional-mahatmya emphasis through Prahlāda’s protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.