Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

केतुर्नाम ग्रहोत्युग्रः शिवसद्भावभावितः । वर्तुलोऽतीव विस्तीर्णो लोचनाभ्यां सुभीषणः

Transliteration

keturnāma grahotyugraḥ śivasadbhāvabhāvitaḥ | vartulo'tīva vistīrṇo locanābhyāṃ subhīṣaṇaḥ

Translation

计都（Ketu）乃极其凶猛之星曜，然其心浸润于对湿婆（Śiva）的吉祥虔敬。其形圆满，广大无比，以双目令人战栗。

Word by Word

• केतुः: Ketu
• केतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — “Ketu”

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), नामार्थक-निपात — “by name”

• ग्रहः: a ग्रह (planet)
• ग्रहः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “planet/seizer”

• अति: very, exceedingly
• अति: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (intensifier)

• उग्रः: fierce
• उग्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “fierce”

• शिव: Śiva
• शिव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (in compound) — “of Śiva”

• सद्भाव: true nature
• सद्भाव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (in compound) — “true nature/state”

• भावितः: imbued
• भावितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) → भावित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “imbued/infused, made to be”

• वर्तुलः: round
• वर्तुलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “round”

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — “exceedingly”

• विस्तीर्णः: wide, expanded
• विस्तीर्णः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + स्तॄ (धातु) → विस्तीर्ण (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “expanded, wide”

• लोचनाभ्याम्: with (two) eyes
• लोचनाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन — “with (two) eyes”

• सुभीषणः: very terrifying
• सुभीषणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभीषण (प्रातिपदिक: सु + भीषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “very terrifying”

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ketuliṅga (Ketu-associated)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A striking depiction of Ketu: round, vast, and terrifying with two eyes—yet marked by devotion to Śiva; the contrast between ferocity and sanctity is central.

Characters & Entities

• Ketu
• Śiva
• Graha (planetary deity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even fierce cosmic forces (grahas) are harmonized through orientation to Śiva—devotion transforms power into auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ketuliṅga in Prabhāsakṣetra, associated with the graha Ketu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse introduces Ketu’s nature as context for the shrine’s significance.