Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

योगक्षेमं वहन्नित्यं प्रभासे भावितात्मनाम् । भीषणाक्षस्तथैशान्यामाग्नेय्यां छागवक्त्रकः

Transliteration

yogakṣemaṃ vahannityaṃ prabhāse bhāvitātmanām | bhīṣaṇākṣastathaiśānyāmāgneyyāṃ chāgavaktrakaḥ

Translation

ผู้คอยอุ้มชูโยคเกษม—ความผาสุกและความคุ้มครอง—แก่ผู้มีจิตฝึกตนในปรภาส คือ “ภีษณากษะ” ประจำทิศตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ; ส่วนทิศตะวันออกเฉียงใต้คือ “ฉาควักตรกะ” ผู้มีพักตร์เป็นแพะ

Word by Word

• yoga-kṣemam: welfare and security
• yoga-kṣemam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣema (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (योगः च क्षेमः च) समाहारार्थे एकवचन

• vahan: carrying / bearing
• vahan: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative)

• prabhāse: in Prabhāsa
• prabhāse: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• bhāvita-ātmanām: of those whose selves are purified/imbued (devotees)
• bhāvita-ātmanām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √bhū/√bhāv) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भावितः आत्मा येषाम्)

• bhīṣaṇa-akṣaḥ: Bhīṣaṇākṣa (terrible-eyed, name)
• bhīṣaṇa-akṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (भीषणाः अक्षी यस्य/भीषणाक्षः)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya/Anvaya (Connector/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘likewise/also’ (particle/adverb)

• aiśānyām: in the northeast (direction)
• aiśānyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिशावाचक (in the northeast)

• āgneyyām: in the southeast (direction)
• āgneyyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgneyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिशावाचक (in the southeast)

• chāga-vaktrakaḥ: Chāgavaktraka (goat-faced, name)
• chāga-vaktrakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chāga (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक) + -ka (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (छागस्य वक्त्रमिव/छागवक्त्रकः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (aiśānya & āgneya dik)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mandala-like map of Prabhāsa: in the north-east stands Bhīṣaṇākṣa, protective yet benevolent toward disciplined devotees; in the south-east stands Chāgavaktraka, goat-faced guardian near a fire-lit corner, symbolizing purifying transformation.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Bhīṣaṇākṣa
• Chāgavaktraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prabhāsa supports the yoga-kṣema of sincere practitioners—spiritual striving is met with divine protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, described as safeguarding the welfare of devoted pilgrims and practitioners.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it emphasizes divine guardians ensuring yoga-kṣema for bhāvitātman (disciplined devotees).