Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

भयार्त्ता दानवाः सर्वे पलायनपरायणाः । प्रभासं क्षेत्रमासाद्य समुद्राभिमुखा भवन्

Transliteration

bhayārttā dānavāḥ sarve palāyanaparāyaṇāḥ | prabhāsaṃ kṣetramāsādya samudrābhimukhā bhavan

Translation

ഭയവിഹ്വലരായ ദാനവരെല്ലാം ഓടിപ്പോകാൻ വെമ്പൽകൊണ്ടു. അവർ പ്രഭാസക്ഷേത്രത്തിലെത്തി സമുദ്രത്തിന് അഭിമുഖമായി നീങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• भयार्त्ताः: afflicted with fear
• भयार्त्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थ: ‘भयेन आर्ताः’ (afflicted by fear)

• दानवाः: the Dānavas
• दानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पलायनपरायणाः: intent on flight
• पलायनपरायणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पलायन (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पलायने परायणाः’ (devoted to fleeing)

• प्रभासम्: Prabhāsa
• प्रभासम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Kriyā (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having reached/approached’

• समुद्राभिमुखाः: facing the sea
• समुद्राभिमुखाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘समुद्रं अभिमुखाः’ (facing the sea)

• भवन्: became/were
• भवन्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपद) / अनद्यतनभूत (Imperfect); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (छन्दसि ‘भवन्’ = ‘अभवन्’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (contextual) and the Purāṇic audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Terrified Dānavas flee and arrive at Prabhāsa, turning toward the roaring sea, with the sense of being cornered by sacred destiny.

Characters & Entities

• Dānavas
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Samudra (Ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma ultimately retreats before divine presence; sacred space becomes the arena where protection and purification are revealed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, explicitly named, with its coastal sacred setting (facing the ocean).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse situates the action at Prabhāsa, supporting its Māhātmya.