Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा कलियुगं घोरं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् । नियुक्तस्तत्र देवेशि रक्षार्थं विघ्ननायकः

Transliteration

jñātvā kaliyugaṃ ghoraṃ hāhābhūtamacetanam | niyuktastatra deveśi rakṣārthaṃ vighnanāyakaḥ

Translation

ਕਲਿਯੁਗ ਦੇ ਉਸ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਰੂਪ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਣ ਕੇ—ਜਿੱਥੇ ਲੋਕ ਮੋਹਿਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਹਾਹਾਕਾਰ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ—ਹੇ ਦੇਵੀ, ਉਥੇ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਲਈ ਵਿਘਨਨਾਇਕ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਯੁਕਤ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ।

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• कलियुगम्: the Kali age
• कलियुगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कलेः युगम्)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• हाहाभूतम्: become a cry of ‘hāhā’ (full of lament)
• हाहाभूतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाहा + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (हाहा-रूपं भूतम्)

• अचेतनम्: insentient, bewildered
• अचेतनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नियुक्तः: appointed
• नियुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+युज् (धातु) → नियुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• देवेशि: O goddess (Deveśī)
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषार्थे अव्ययवत् (purpose expression)

• विघ्ननायकः: the leader/remover of obstacles (Gaṇeśa)
• विघ्ननायकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विघ्नानां नायकः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the coastal Prabhāsa-kṣetra, Devī is addressed while Vighnanāyaka is installed as a vigilant guardian against Kali-yuga’s confusion and distress.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Vighnanāyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• Devī
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali-yuga, divine guardianship is emphasized—Vighnanāyaka is established to protect dharma and the sanctity of the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is implied as the protected sacred region where Vighnanāyaka is stationed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse provides theological context for invoking Vighnanāyaka as protector in Kali-yuga.