Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

विभावसुः प्रज्वलितो वामं विपरिवर्त्तते । नीललोहितमांजिष्ठा विसृजंश्चार्चिषः पृथक्

Transliteration

vibhāvasuḥ prajvalito vāmaṃ viparivarttate | nīlalohitamāṃjiṣṭhā visṛjaṃścārciṣaḥ pṛthak

Translation

ప్రజ్వలిస్తున్న అగ్ని కూడా ఎడమవైపు తిరిగింది. అది నీల, ఎర్ర, మంజిష్ఠ వర్ణాలుగా విడివిడిగా జ్వాలలను విసిరింది—అశుభ సూచనలు వెల్లడయ్యాయి.

Word by Word

• विभावसुः: fire (Vibhāvasu)
• विभावसुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभावसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रज्वलितः: blazing
• प्रज्वलितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वामम्: to the left
• वामम्: Karma/Direction (Goal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: to the left)

• विपरिवर्तते: turns/veers around
• विपरिवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + परि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपदम्

• नीललोहितमाञ्जिष्ठाः: blue, red, and madder-colored
• नीललोहितमाञ्जिष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + लोहित + माञ्जिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (copulative colors): नील + लोहित + माञ्जिष्ठा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural) (agreeing with implied ‘अर्चिषः’)

• विसृजन्: emitting
• विसृजन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with विभावसुः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्चिषः: flames
• अर्चिषः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: separately)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya; likely Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual fire blazing yet curling leftward, splitting into distinct tongues—blue, red, and deep madder—casting eerie light on anxious observers in a coastal sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Vibhāvasu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When sacred order is disturbed, even ritual fire behaves ominously—prompting self-correction and renewed dharmic living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where such signs intensify the sacred narrative of impending transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; Agni’s abnormal behavior is presented as a portent rather than a rite.