Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

महापापोपशमनीं सर्वदुःखविनाशनीम् पूजितां सर्वगन्धर्वैः स्फुरद्दंष्ट्रोग्रभीषणाम्

Transliteration

mahāpāpopaśamanīṃ sarvaduḥkhavināśanīm pūjitāṃ sarvagandharvaiḥ sphuraddaṃṣṭrograbhīṣaṇām

Translation

അവൾ മഹാപാപങ്ങളെ ശമിപ്പിക്കുകയും സർവ്വദുഃഖങ്ങളെ നശിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നവൾ; സർവ്വഗന്ധർവന്മാരാൽ പൂജിതയായ, മിന്നുന്ന ദംഷ്ട്രകളോടുകൂടിയ ഉഗ്രഭീഷണരൂപിണി।

Word by Word

• महापापोपशमनीम्: the great-sin-pacifying (one)
• महापापोपशमनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of देवीम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापाप + उपशमनी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वदुःखविनाशनीम्: destroyer of all sorrows
• सर्वदुःखविनाशनीम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + दुःख + विनाशनी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूजिताम्: worshipped
• पूजिताम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वगन्धर्वैः: by all Gandharvas
• सर्वगन्धर्वैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्फुरत्: flashing; quivering
• स्फुरत्: Visheshana (part of compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग रूपेण समासाङ्ग (indeclinable within compound), अर्थतः ‘स्फुरन्ती’

• दंष्ट्रा: fangs
• दंष्ट्रा: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative) एकवचन—समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• उग्रभीषणाम्: terribly fierce
• उग्रभीषणाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of देवीम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्फुरद्दंष्ट्रोग्रभीषणाम्: she whose fierce fangs flash
• स्फुरद्दंष्ट्रोग्रभीषणाम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुरत् + दंष्ट्रा + उग्रभीषणा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्याः दंष्ट्राः स्फुरन्ति सा’

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuation of his instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā Devī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devī Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā appears in a fierce protective stance, fangs flashing, surrounded by Gandharvas offering worship; devotees feel their sorrows lifted as darkness recedes.

Characters & Entities

• Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā Devī (implied)
• Gandharva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The fierce form of the Goddess is protective: her terror is directed against sin and suffering, granting relief to devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā Devī’s sacred seat within Prabhāsa Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied worship (pūjā) and darśana of the Goddess renowned for pāpa-śamana and duḥkha-nāśa.