Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

चंद्र उवाच । प्रतिज्ञातं सुरश्रेष्ठ राहुणा ग्रहणं मम । बलवानेष दुर्धर्षः प्रकृत्या सिंहिकासुतः

Transliteration

caṃdra uvāca | pratijñātaṃ suraśreṣṭha rāhuṇā grahaṇaṃ mama | balavāneṣa durdharṣaḥ prakṛtyā siṃhikāsutaḥ

Translation

చంద్రుడు అన్నాడు—హే సురశ్రేష్ఠా! రాహువు నన్ను గ్రహించుటకు (గ్రసించుటకు) ప్రతిజ్ఞ చేశాడు. అతడు బలవంతుడు, స్వభావతః దుర్ధర్షుడు—సింహికాసుతుడు।

Word by Word

• चन्द्रः: the Moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect, active, 3rd person singular

• प्रतिज्ञातम्: (it is) vowed/promised
• प्रतिज्ञातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati-√jñā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; used substantively: ‘a vow/promise’

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of the gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय: ‘सुराणां श्रेष्ठः’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, vocative singular

• राहुणा: by Rahu
• राहुणा: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, instrumental singular

• ग्रहणम्: seizing, eclipse
• ग्रहणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, nominative/accusative singular

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; pronoun, genitive singular

• बलवान्: strong
• बलवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun, masculine, nominative singular

• दुर्धर्षः: hard to defeat
• दुर्धर्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + dharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दुर्-पूर्वक: hard to overpower), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

• प्रकृत्या: by nature
• प्रकृत्या: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; feminine, instrumental singular (adverbial: ‘by nature’)

• सिंहिकासुतः: son of Siṃhikā
• सिंहिकासुतः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃhikā (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘सिंहिकायाः सुतः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

Speaker

Candra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbudācala

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Candra, anxious yet dignified, addresses Śiva with folded hands, describing Rāhu’s vow to seize him; shadowy serpent-headed Rāhu is hinted in the background as looming threat.

Characters & Entities

• Candra
• Rāhu
• Śiva (implied listener as suraśreṣṭha)
• Siṃhikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even celestial beings seek refuge in the Supreme; acknowledging one’s vulnerability and appealing to dharmic protection is valorized.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Arbuda/Candrodbheda setting is glorified as the place where Candra addresses the Lord and receives protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a petition describing the cause of eclipses as Rāhu’s vowed hostility.