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

نہایت ہیبت ناک، سخت گیر، خوفناک کو نمسکار—اے ہاتھ میں تلوار تھامنے والے۔ سب کو نگل جانے والے کو نمسکار؛ اے ولی مُکھ! تجھے نمسکار ہو۔

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.