Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अथ क्रुद्धो महातेजा दुर्वासा ऋषिसत्तमः । सांबं प्रोवाच भगवान्विधुन्वन्मुखमात्म नः

Transliteration

atha kruddho mahātejā durvāsā ṛṣisattamaḥ | sāṃbaṃ provāca bhagavānvidhunvanmukhamātma naḥ

Translation

ครั้นนั้นท่านทุรวาสา ฤๅษีผู้ประเสริฐผู้มีเดชยิ่ง ก็โกรธเกรี้ยว พระฤๅษีผู้ควรบูชานั้นสั่นใบหน้าด้วยความไม่พอใจ แล้วตรัสแก่สัมพะ

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunctive adverb)

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier of ‘दुर्वासा’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP)

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of ‘दुर्वासा’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महत् तेजः यस्य’

• दुर्वासाः: Durvāsā
• दुर्वासाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ऋषिसत्तमः: best of sages
• ऋषिसत्तमः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘ऋषीणां सत्तमः’

• सांबम्: Sāmba
• सांबम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: said to/addressed
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भगवान्: the venerable one
• भगवान्: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधुन्वन्: shaking
• विधुन्वन्: Kriya-viseshana (Concurrent action of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धुन् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present participle)

• मुखम्: face
• मुखम्: Karma (Object of participle ‘विधुन्वन्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Durvāsā’s speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Durvāsā’s face trembles with controlled fury; his ascetic body radiates tejas as he turns to address Sāmba. The moment is a threshold—between mockery and curse—captured in the sage’s stern gaze and vibrating jaw.

Characters & Entities

• Durvāsā
• Sāmba

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When reverence is broken, even a moment’s arrogance can provoke grave karmic consequences through the displeasure of realized sages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra is the narrative setting; the Māhātmya uses such episodes to underscore the sacred power of the region and its dharmic order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it functions as a narrative transition into the sage’s pronouncement.