Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तदुत्पत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु श्रद्धासमन्विता । पुरा दानवशार्दूलो महिषाख्यो महाबलः

Transliteration

tadutpattiṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇu śraddhāsamanvitā | purā dānavaśārdūlo mahiṣākhyo mahābalaḥ

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ അവളുടെ ഉത്ഭവം പറയാം; ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ കേൾക്കുക. പുരാതനകാലത്ത് ദാനവരിൽ വ്യാഘ്രസമനായ മഹാബലൻ ‘മഹിഷാഖ്യ’ എന്ന ദാനവൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम् (समास-पूर्वपदम्)

• उत्पत्तिम्: origin, arising
• उत्पत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future); उत्तमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• श्रद्धासमन्विता: endowed with faith
• श्रद्धासमन्विता: Visheshana (Qualifier of addressee/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: श्रद्धया समन्विता); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सम्बोधनार्थे/वाक्ये संबन्धः)

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• दानवशार्दूलः: a tiger among demons
• दानवशार्दूलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः: दानवेषु शार्दूलः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• महिषाख्यः: named Mahiṣa
• महिषाख्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिष + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (बहुव्रीहिः: महिष इव आख्या यस्य/महिष-नामकः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः: महत् बलम् यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम्

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yogeśvarī-sthāna (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva begins the Yogeśvarī origin tale, introducing the mighty dānava Mahiṣākha; the atmosphere shifts from pilgrimage instruction to mythic conflict prelude.

Characters & Entities

• Yogeśvarī Devī (implied)
• Mahiṣākha (Dānava)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śraddhā (faithful attention) is presented as the proper attitude for receiving tīrtha and Devī-origin teachings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative serves the māhātmya of Yogeśvarī in Prabhāsa Kṣetra, introducing her origin story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a kathā (origin account) and instructs the listener to hear with faith.