Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

नमो घोराय रौद्राय भीषणाय करा लिने । नमस्ते सर्वभक्षाय वलीमुख नमोऽस्तु ते

Transliteration

namo ghorāya raudrāya bhīṣaṇāya karā line | namaste sarvabhakṣāya valīmukha namo'stu te

Translation

ขอนอบน้อมแด่ผู้ดุร้าย น่าเกรงขาม และน่าสะพรึง—โอ้ผู้ถือดาบไว้ในมือ ขอนอบน้อมแด่ผู้กลืนกินสรรพสิ่ง โอ้ วลีมุขะ ขอนอบน้อมแด่ท่าน

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमः-निपात

• ghorāya: to the terrible one
• ghorāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• raudrāya: to the fierce one
• raudrāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• bhīṣaṇāya: to the dreadful one
• bhīṣaṇāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• karāline: O frightful one
• karāline: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमः-निपात

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• sarvabhakṣāya: to the all-devouring one
• sarvabhakṣāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वं भक्षयति/भक्षः)

• valīmukha: O wrinkled-faced one
• valīmukha: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: valī (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वलीयुक्तं मुखं यस्य)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमः-निपात

• astu: may it be
• astu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya (deductively: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The fierce being addressed (Valīmukha) and the māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king salutes a ghora, raudra, terrifying figure holding a sword, called ‘sarva-bhakṣa’ and ‘Valīmukha’—a fierce, devouring guardian/deity whose presence dominates the sacred scene.

Characters & Entities

• Śanaiścara (Saturn)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

What ‘devours all’ is ultimately Time and consequence; reverence and ethical living are taught as the true protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, presented as a sacred field where confronting fierce divinities through stotra leads to auspiciousness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse serves as a protective hymn line for Śanaiścara.