Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 155

Devanagari script

नारायणगृहे देवी स्थिता देवीगणैर्वृता । अत्रांतरे गौतमस्तु गोवधान्मलिनीकृतः

Transliteration

nārāyaṇagṛhe devī sthitā devīgaṇairvṛtā | atrāṃtare gautamastu govadhānmalinīkṛtaḥ

Translation

ଦେବୀ ନାରାୟଣଙ୍କ ଗୃହରେ ଦେବୀଗଣଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପରିବେଷ୍ଟିତ ହୋଇ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ରହିଲେ; ଏହି ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଗୌତମ ଗୋବଧ ହେତୁ କଳୁଷିତ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• नारायणगृहे: in Nārāyaṇa’s house
• नारायणगृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नारायणस्य गृहः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थितā: was staying
• स्थितā: Kriya (Predicative action/state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (was staying/standing)

• देवीगणैः: by/with groups of goddesses
• देवीगणैः: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवीनां गणाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन

• वृता: surrounded
• वृता: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (धातु) → वृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (surrounded)

• अत्रान्तरे: meanwhile
• अत्रान्तरे: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Temporal adverb/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (locative-meaning adverb): 'in the meantime/meanwhile'

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• गोवधात्: from (the sin of) cow-killing
• गोवधात्: Apadana (Cause/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गवां वधः); पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• मलिनीकृतः: was defiled
• मलिनीकृतः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मलिनी + √कृ (धातु) → मलिनीकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (made impure/defiled)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nārāyaṇa-gṛha (within Mandara/Prabhāsa narrative)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside Nārāyaṇa’s sanctum-like dwelling, the Devi sits enthroned, encircled by devī-gaṇas with fly-whisks and lamps. In a parallel vignette, sage Gautama appears distressed, holding a kamaṇḍalu, shadowed by the stain of go-vadha-doṣa, seeking a path to purification.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Devī
• Devīgaṇa
• Gautama (ṛṣi)
• Go-vadha (cow killing)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma stresses moral accountability: grave acts like cow-killing require purification and rectification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya frame, the narrative also points to Nārāyaṇa’s sacred abode as a protective refuge.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse signals the need for purification (pavitrīkaraṇa), though the specific rite is stated in the next verse.