Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

धनुराजगवं गृह्य शरांश्चाशीविषोपमान् । खङ्गं च रक्षन्रक्षार्थं कवचं च महाप्रभम्

Transliteration

dhanurājagavaṃ gṛhya śarāṃścāśīviṣopamān | khaṅgaṃ ca rakṣanrakṣārthaṃ kavacaṃ ca mahāprabham

Translation

അവൻ ആജഗവ ധനുസ്സു കൈക്കൊണ്ട്, വിഷസർപ്പങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ ഭയങ്കരമായ അമ്പുകളും എടുത്തു. രക്ഷാർത്ഥം ഖഡ്ഗവും ധരിച്ചു, മഹാപ്രഭമായ ദീപ്തിമാൻ കവചവും അണിഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• आजगवम्: named Ājagava
• आजगवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आजगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धनुः)

• गृह्य: having taken
• गृह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having taken’

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• आशीविषोपमान्: like venomous serpents
• आशीविषोपमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविष (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-निर्देशः: आशीविषस्य उपमानः), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (शरान्)

• खङ्गम्: sword
• खङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• रक्षन्: protecting
• रक्षन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि, क्रियाविशेषण-भावेन

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: रक्षायाः अर्थः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (adverbial accusative of purpose)

• कवचम्: armor
• कवचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• महाप्रभम्: very splendid
• महाप्रभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् प्रभः यस्य/महाप्रभः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कवचम्)

Speaker

Narrator (within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A newly manifested royal hero stands armed: Ājagava bow in hand, quiver of serpent-like arrows, sword at the waist, and a luminous armor radiating like the sun—attendants and auspicious omens around him.

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthu
• Ājagava (bow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kṣatra-dharma is protection: the righteous king arms himself not for oppression but to safeguard the world and uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya provides the sacred setting; this verse highlights the dhārmic emergence of royal protection rather than a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.