Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

आसीत्पूर्वं महादेवि दैत्यभारार्द्दिता मही साऽधो व्रजंती सहसा गोरूपा संबभूव ह

Transliteration

āsītpūrvaṃ mahādevi daityabhārārdditā mahī sā'dho vrajaṃtī sahasā gorūpā saṃbabhūva ha

Translation

往昔，伟大女神啊，大地被阿修罗之众的重担所压迫；当她将要下沉之时，忽然化现为母牛之形。

Word by Word

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• महादेवि: O great Goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती देवी)

• दैत्यभारार्दिता: oppressed by the burden of demons
• दैत्यभारार्दिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भार (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दैत्य-भारैः अर्दिता)

• मही: the Earth
• मही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अधः: downwards
• अधः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक-अव्यय (adverb of direction)

• व्रजन्ती: going
• व्रजन्ती: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• गोरूपा: having the form of a cow
• गोरूपा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोः रूपम् अस्याः)

• संबभूव: became
• संबभूव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ह: indeed
• ह: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (foreshadowed)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Earth-goddess, overwhelmed by demon-burden, begins to sink; she transforms into a cow, eyes wide with fear, seeking protection.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Mahī (Earth)
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma becomes heavy, cosmic order responds—Earth herself seeks refuge and transformation, setting the stage for divine intervention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is the narrative prelude within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya that explains the origin and sanctity of the local liṅga(s).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse provides mythic background for the tīrtha’s sanctity.