Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

महाबलो महाकायो योजनायुतविस्तरः । अजेयः सर्वदेवानां त्रैलोक्यक्षयकारकः । ब्रह्मणा तस्य तुष्टेन वरो दत्तो वरानने

Transliteration

mahābalo mahākāyo yojanāyutavistaraḥ | ajeyaḥ sarvadevānāṃ trailokyakṣayakārakaḥ | brahmaṇā tasya tuṣṭena varo datto varānane

Translation

അവൻ മഹാബലവാനും മഹാകായനും പത്തായിരം യോജനവരെ വ്യാപിച്ചവനും ആയിരുന്നു; സർവ്വദേവന്മാർക്കും അജേയനും ത്രിലോകക്ഷയകാരകനുമായിരുന്നു. ഹേ വരാനനേ, അവനിൽ പ്രസന്നനായ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് അവനു വരം നൽകി।

Word by Word

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक; महत् + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महाकायः: huge-bodied
• महाकायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाय (प्रातिपदिक; महत् + काय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• योजनायुतविस्तरः: having an extent of ten-thousand yojanas
• योजनायुतविस्तरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योजनायुतविस्तर (प्रातिपदिक; योजन + आयुत + विस्तर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अजेयः: unconquerable
• अजेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजेय (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + जेय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• त्रैलोक्यक्षयकारकः: causing the destruction of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यक्षयकारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्यक्षयकारक (प्रातिपदिक; त्रैलोक्य + क्षय + कारक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent/instrument)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तुष्टेन: being pleased
• तुष्टेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √तुष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• वरः: a boon
• वरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दत्तः: was given
• दत्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense)

• वरानने: O fair-faced one
• वरानने: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरानना (प्रातिपदिक; वर + आनना)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pādukāsana/Ādinārāyaṇa complex (narrative backdrop)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal asura Meghavāhana dominates the frame, spanning vast distances; devas appear dwarfed and distressed; Brahmā, serene yet consequential, grants a boon—foreshadowing the paradox of divine gifts.

Characters & Entities

• Meghavāhana
• Brahmā
• Devas
• Trailokya (three worlds)
• Mahādevī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power without dharma becomes a threat to cosmic order; boons test the moral direction of the recipient.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Prabhāsa-kṣetra, since the legend is embedded in its māhātmya to explain sacred significance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse is descriptive narrative setting up the boon and its consequences.