Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

पुरा देवयुगे राजन्महिषोनाम दानवः । पितामहवराद्दृप्तः सर्वदेवभयंकरः

Transliteration

purā devayuge rājanmahiṣonāma dānavaḥ | pitāmahavarāddṛptaḥ sarvadevabhayaṃkaraḥ

Translation

ഹേ രാജാവേ, പുരാതന ദേവയുഗത്തിൽ ‘മഹിഷ’ എന്നൊരു ദാനവൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. പിതാമഹൻ ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ വരം കൊണ്ടു ദർപ്പിതനായി അവൻ സകല ദേവന്മാർക്കും ഭയങ്കരനായി.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• देवयुगे: in the age of the gods
• देवयुगे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (देवानां युगः)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• महिषः: Mahiṣa
• महिषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः; संज्ञा-निर्देशक-अव्यय (indeclinable indicating name)

• दानवः: a demon
• दानवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पितामहवरात्: from Brahmā's boon
• पितामहवरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पितामहस्य वरः)

• दृप्तः: arrogant, intoxicated (with pride)
• दृप्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) ‘दृप्त’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वदेवभयंकरः: terrifying to all the gods
• सर्वदेवभयंकरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + भयंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां देवानां भयंकरः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Purāṇic narration to a royal listener within Arbuda-khaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājan (king; name not specified in the given verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable buffalo-asura figure (or a daitya named Mahiṣa) stands triumphant, radiating arrogance after receiving Brahmā’s boon; Brahmā is shown granting a boon from a lotus-seat, while distant devas look anxious.

Characters & Entities

• Mahiṣa
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine boons without humility lead to arrogance, which becomes a cause of suffering for the world and invites eventual downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions as narrative setup within Arbuda Khaṇḍa; a specific tīrtha is not directly praised in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces the antagonist and the cosmic crisis.