Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रप्रमाणं सीमां च क्षेत्रसारं हि यत्प्रभो । वक्तुमर्हसि तत्सर्वं परं कौतूहलं हि मे

Transliteration

kṣetrapramāṇaṃ sīmāṃ ca kṣetrasāraṃ hi yatprabho | vaktumarhasi tatsarvaṃ paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me

Translation

يا ربّ، تفضّل فأخبرني بكلّ ذلك: مقدار الكشيترا وحدودها وجوهر قداستها، فإنّ شوقي إلى المعرفة عظيمٌ جدًّا.

Word by Word

• क्षेत्रप्रमाणम्: the extent/measure of the sacred area
• क्षेत्रप्रमाणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘measure/extent of the field’)

• सीमाम्: the boundary
• सीमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्षेत्रसारम्: the essence/significance of the sacred area
• क्षेत्रसारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘essence of the kṣetra’)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वक्तुम्: to tell
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), ‘to speak/tell’

• अर्हसि: you are able/fit; you should
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम्: great; supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); here predicative with ‘कौतूहलम्’

• कौतूहलम्: curiosity; eagerness
• कौतूहलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• मे: my; for me
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); enclitic form

Speaker

Pārvatī (Devī) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker asks for a sacred ‘map’: the measure, borders, and essence of Prabhāsa—suggesting scrolls, boundary markers, and a radiant center of sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• kṣetra
• Prabhu (Īśvara/Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Knowing a kṣetra’s sīmā and sāra is part of honoring it correctly—sacred geography supports sacred practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa) as the topic whose extent and essence are requested.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse prepares for authoritative description of the kṣetra’s sacred limits.