Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

हस्तिवक्त्रः श्वानवक्त्रो बिडालवदनस्तथा । सिंहव्याघ्रमुखाश्चान्ये वीरभद्रादयस्तथा

Transliteration

hastivaktraḥ śvānavaktro biḍālavadanastathā | siṃhavyāghramukhāścānye vīrabhadrādayastathā

Translation

ചിലർക്കു ആനമുഖം, ചിലർക്കു നായമുഖം; മറ്റുചിലർക്കു പൂച്ചപോലുള്ള മുഖം. വേറെയൊരുകൂട്ടർ സിംഹ-വ്യാഘ്രമുഖധാരികൾ—വീരഭദ്രാദികളും അങ്ങനെ തന്നെയായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• हस्तिवक्त्रः: Hastivaktra
• हस्तिवक्त्रः: Karta (Name in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ति + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—हस्तिवक्त्रं यस्य (elephant-faced)

• श्वानवक्त्रः: Śvānavaktra
• श्वानवक्त्रः: Karta (Name in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वान + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—श्वानवक्त्रं यस्य (dog-faced)

• बिडालवदनः: Biḍālavādana
• बिडालवदनः: Karta (Name in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिडाल + वदन (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—बिडालवदनं यस्य (cat-faced)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

• सिंहव्याघ्रमुखाः: those with lion/tiger faces
• सिंहव्याघ्रमुखाः: Karta (Names in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह + व्याघ्र + मुख (प्रातिपदिकाः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—सिंहव्याघ्रमुखं येषाम् (lion-and-tiger-faced)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• वीरभद्रादयः: Vīrabhadra and others
• वीरभद्रादयः: Karta (Names in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष—वीरभद्रः आदिः येषाम् (beginning with Vīrabhadra)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devēśī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dense assembly of gaṇas with elephant-, dog-, cat-, lion-, and tiger-faces; Vīrabhadra stands among them as a commanding fierce figure, suggesting readiness to defend the kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The kṣetra’s sanctity is upheld by awe-inspiring forms of Śiva’s attendants, emphasizing the majesty and protective power of dharma in sacred space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, described as a realm guarded by formidable Śaiva hosts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it continues the description of the Gaṇas’ forms.