Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

एवं वृद्धत्वमापन्ना यदा ते वरवर्णिनि । छन्द्यमाना वरैस्ते तु शंकरेण महात्मना

Transliteration

evaṃ vṛddhatvamāpannā yadā te varavarṇini | chandyamānā varaiste tu śaṃkareṇa mahātmanā

Translation

يا ذاتَ الحُسنِ البهيّ، لما بلغ أولئك الحكماء الشيخوخة على هذا النحو، قدّم لهم شَنْكَرَةُ العظيمُ النفسِ العطايا، داعيًا إياهم أن يختاروا ما يشتهون.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• वृद्धत्वम्: old age
• वृद्धत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• आपन्नाः: having attained
• आपन्नाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-आपद् (धातु) → आपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; past participle used predicatively (having reached/attained)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (when)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'they'

• वरवर्णिनि: O fair one
• वरवर्णिनि: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: वरः वर्णः यस्याः (O fair-complexioned one)

• छन्द्यमानाः: being pleased
• छन्द्यमानाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छन्द् (धातु) → छन्द्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/मान), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः: 'being pleased/being gratified'

• वरैः: by boons
• वरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'they' (reiterated)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha/Contrast (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• शंकरेण: by Śaṅkara
• शंकरेण: Karana/Agent (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying Śaṅkara)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (contextual attribution within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varavarṇinī (addressed lady)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aged sages, hair silver and matted, stand or sit with folded hands; before them appears Śaṅkara—calm, ash-smeared, crescent moon, gaṅgā in hair, trident—gesturing in boon-bestowal, inviting them to choose; the atmosphere is tender and solemn.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace responds to steadfastness: Śiva personally offers boons to those who endure and remain devoted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, specifically the tradition that leads into the Vṛddhaprabhāsa (Old Prabhāsa) tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse sets up the boon-request that culminates in liṅga-darśana.