Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

महाप्रचण्डदैत्यघ्नीं पौलस्त्येन प्रतिष्ठिताम् । महिषघ्नीं महाकायां क्षेत्रे प्राभासिके स्थिताम्

Transliteration

mahāpracaṇḍadaityaghnīṃ paulastyena pratiṣṭhitām | mahiṣaghnīṃ mahākāyāṃ kṣetre prābhāsike sthitām

Translation

وہ نہایت ہیبت ناک دیووں کی قاتلہ ہے، جسے پَولستیہ نے قائم کیا؛ وہ مہیش (بھینسے کے دیو) کو مارنے والی، عظیم الجثہ، اور پرابھاس کے مقدّس کشتَر میں مقیم ہے۔

Word by Word

• महाप्रचण्डदैत्यघ्नीम्: slayer of very fierce demons
• महाप्रचण्डदैत्यघ्नीम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्रचण्ड + दैत्यघ्नी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पौलस्त्येन: by Paulastya
• पौलस्त्येन: Karana (Agent/instrument; ‘by Paulastya’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रतिष्ठिताम्: established; installed
• प्रतिष्ठिताम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महिषघ्नीम्: slayer of the buffalo (demon)
• महिषघ्नीम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिष + घ्नी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाकायाम्: great-bodied; huge
• महाकायाम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + काय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/region
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राभासिके: of Prabhāsa
• प्राभासिके: Visheshana (of क्षेत्रे)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राभासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); क्षेत्रे इति विशेषणम्

• स्थिताम्: situated
• स्थिताम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuation of his instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prābhāsikā Devī (Mahīṣaghnī) shrine in Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable Devī, vast-bodied and radiant, stands within the Prabhāsa sacred field, celebrated as the slayer of fierce demons and the buffalo-demon; the shrine is said to be established by Paulastya (a sage of Pulastya’s lineage), with pilgrims approaching in reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā Devī (implied)
• Paulastya
• Daitya
• Mahiṣa
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power defends dharma by subduing demonic forces; sacred places preserve these victory-memories as living pilgrimage sites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Śālakaṭaṃkaṭā Devī shrine in Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Prābhāsika kṣetra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied: visit and worship the consecrated goddess-seat established by Paulastya in Prabhāsa.