Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कथं दैत्याः सुराञ्जित्वा प्राप्स्यंति च महायशः । आराध्य शंकरं सिद्धिं गच्छामि मनसेप्सितम्

Transliteration

kathaṃ daityāḥ surāñjitvā prāpsyaṃti ca mahāyaśaḥ | ārādhya śaṃkaraṃ siddhiṃ gacchāmi manasepsitam

Translation

‘ദൈത്യർ ദേവന്മാരെ ജയിച്ച് മഹായശസ് എങ്ങനെ നേടും? ശങ്കരനെ ആരാധിച്ച്, എന്റെ മനസ്സിന് ഇഷ്ടമായ സിദ്ധി ഞാൻ പ്രാപിക്കും’ എന്ന് അവൻ മനസ്സിൽ ചിന്തിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Interrogative manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• दैत्याः: the Daityas
• दैत्याः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• जित्वा: having conquered
• जित्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), धातु: जि; पूर्वकाले कृत्य

• प्राप्स्यन्ति: will attain
• प्राप्स्यन्ति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महायशः: great fame
• महायशः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (यशस्-शब्दः), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महच्च तत् यशः)

• आराध्य: having worshipped
• आराध्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Means/prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), धातु: राध्; अर्थः—आराधनं कृत्वा

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरम्: Karma (Object of worship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सिद्धिम्: success, attainment
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गच्छामि: I will go / I go (intend to go)
• गच्छामि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मनसा: by the mind, mentally
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument: by mind)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन

• ईप्सितम्: desired
• ईप्सितम्: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) < आप्/ईप्स् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सिद्धिम्)

Speaker

Pulastya (quoting/representing Śukra’s inner resolve)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śukreśvara (implied as outcome of Śukra’s Śiva-ārādhana)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa-sattama (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śukra declares his resolve: to propitiate Śaṅkara for siddhi; he is shown beginning austerities or pūjā before a liṅga, with a mental image of Daityas’ future fame hovering as a narrative foreshadow.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Devas (Suras)
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Śukra (implied Bhārgava)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True power and success are portrayed as arising from Śiva’s worship rather than mere conflict or strategy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It prepares the ground for the Arbuda Śaiva site Śukreśvara, born from Śukra’s devotion to Śaṅkara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (propitiatory worship) of Śaṅkara is stated as the means to attain desired siddhi.