Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

पुरा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु दृष्ट्वोत्पातान्सुदारुणान् । पुण्यग्रन्थस्य श्रवणाच्छांतिहोमाद्विशोधनात्

Transliteration

purā vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu dṛṣṭvotpātānsudāruṇān | puṇyagranthasya śravaṇācchāṃtihomādviśodhanāt

Translation

Thuở trước, khi các đạo quân đã bày trận và thấy những điềm dữ ghê gớm, sự tịnh hóa được đạt nhờ nghe tụng các thánh điển, nhờ lễ cúng an hòa (śānti-homa), và nhờ các nghi thức thanh tẩy.

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/once)

• vyūḍheṣu: when (they were) arrayed
• vyūḍheṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√ūh (ऊह्/व्यूह् धातु) + क्त
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘arrayed/formed’ (locative absolute with anīkeṣu)

• anīkeṣu: in the armies/formations
• anīkeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Gerundial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वान्त), ‘having seen’

• utpātān: portents/omens
• utpātān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utpāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• sudāruṇān: very dreadful
• sudāruṇān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (su + dāruṇa)

• puṇyagranthasya: of the sacred text
• puṇyagranthasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇyagrantha (प्रातिपदिक); puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + grantha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• śravaṇāt: from hearing
• śravaṇāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• śāṃtihomāt: from a pacificatory fire-offering
• śāṃtihomāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāṃtihoma (प्रातिपदिक); śāṃti (प्रातिपदिक) + homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (śāṃtyai homaḥ)

• viśodhanāt: from purification
• viśodhanāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśodhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta narrating; teaching attributed to remembered counsel (linked to Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic perspective)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (as forthcoming remedy)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varavarṇinī / audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Armies stand in formation; above them ominous birds and strange celestial signs. In the foreground, priests conduct a śānti-homa while listeners sit for puṇya-grantha śravaṇa; water vessels and kuśa indicate viśodhana.

Characters & Entities

• Śānti-homa
• Puṇya-grantha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When omens arise, dharma prescribes śānti through scripture-hearing, homa, and purification—transforming fear into disciplined spiritual action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is general; within this chapter it supports the turn toward Prabhāsa as the supreme purifying field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Puṇya-grantha-śravaṇa (hearing sacred texts), śānti-homa (pacificatory fire-rite), and viśodhana (purificatory observances).