Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

अथ दृष्ट्वांबरगतं वज्रोद्यतकरं हरिम् । स्तंभयामास तं सद्यो दृष्टिपातेन मुद्गलः

Transliteration

atha dṛṣṭvāṃbaragataṃ vajrodyatakaraṃ harim | staṃbhayāmāsa taṃ sadyo dṛṣṭipātena mudgalaḥ

Translation

പിന്നീട് ആകാശത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിച്ച്, കൈയിൽ വജ്രം ഉയർത്തി തയ്യാറായിരുന്ന ഹരി (ഇന്ദ്രൻ)നെ കണ്ട മുദ്ഗലൻ ഒരു ദൃഷ്ടിപാതം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ അവനെ ഉടൻ സ്തംഭിപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• अम्बरगतम्: gone into the sky
• अम्बरगतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्बर + गत (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष—‘अम्बरे गतः’ (gone into the sky)

• वज्रोद्यतकरम्: with hand raised holding the thunderbolt
• वज्रोद्यतकरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र + उद्यत + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः—‘वज्रम् उद्यतः करः यस्य’ (hand raised with thunderbolt)

• हरिम्: Hari/Indra (here: the deity)
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्तम्भयामास: stopped/immobilized
• स्तम्भयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्तम्भ् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त—‘caused to be immobilized’

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

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (immediately)

• दृष्टिपातेन: by a glance
• दृष्टिपातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्टि + पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘दृष्टेः पातः’ (casting of sight)

• मुद्गलः: Mudgala
• मुद्गलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Arbuda-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda/Arbudācala (contextual)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Hari/Śakra) streaks across the sky, arm raised with the vajra; below, Mudgala stands firm, eyes fixed; at the instant of the sage’s glance, Indra freezes midair, garments and clouds suspended.

Characters & Entities

• Mudgala
• Indra (Hari)
• Vajra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights the supremacy of brahminical tapas (rishi-tejas) and self-mastery over worldly power and weaponry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode forms the narrative lead-in to the later naming and glorification of Māmuhrada Tīrtha in this adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; it establishes the sacred event that grounds the later tīrtha-mahātmya.