Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

स्वर्भानुना हते सूर्ये पतितेस्मिन्दिवो महीम् । तमोऽभिभूते लोकेस्मिन्प्रभा येन प्रवर्त्तिता

Transliteration

svarbhānunā hate sūrye patitesmindivo mahīm | tamo'bhibhūte lokesminprabhā yena pravarttitā

Translation

స్వర్భానువు సూర్యుణ్ని హతమార్చగా, సూర్యుడు స్వర్గం నుండి భూమిపై పడిపోయాడు; లోకం చీకటితో కమ్ముకున్నప్పుడు, వెలుగును ప్రవహింపజేసినవాడు ఆయనే.

Word by Word

• स्वर्भानुना: by Svarbhānu (Rāhu)
• स्वर्भानुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• हते: when (it was) struck
• हते: Adhikarana (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘when (it was) struck/slain’

• सूर्ये: in/when the sun
• सूर्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पतिते: having fallen
• पतिते: Adhikarana (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘when (it had) fallen’

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (in this)

• दिवः: of heaven
• दिवः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (of heaven)

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभिभूते: having been overpowered
• अभिभूते: Adhikarana (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भू (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘when (the world was) overpowered’

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रभा: light, radiance
• प्रभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• येन: by whom/whereby
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• प्रवर्त्तिता: was brought forth / was set in motion
• प्रवर्त्तिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘was set in motion/was produced’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual deduction within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied continuation of address to Mahādevī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Svarbhānu strikes the Sun; the Sun falls from heaven toward earth; the world is swallowed by darkness; then Prabhākara initiates the return of light, pushing back the gloom.

Characters & Entities

• Svarbhānu
• Sūrya
• Prabhā (light)
• Prabhākara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when cosmic light seems eclipsed, dharmic power restores order—symbolizing the tīrtha’s role as a source of spiritual illumination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose very theme is “prabhā” (radiance) and restoration, framed within its māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse provides mythic justification for a revered name and sanctity.