Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

विद्याविशेषमार्गस्थमनेकाकारसंज्ञितम् । स्वभावभावनाग्राह्यं भावातीतमलक्षणम्

Transliteration

vidyāviśeṣamārgasthamanekākārasaṃjñitam | svabhāvabhāvanāgrāhyaṃ bhāvātītamalakṣaṇam

Translation

مستقرٌّ على طريق البصيرة الروحية المميَّزة، يُنعت بأشكالٍ كثيرة؛ ولا يُدرَك إلا بتأمّل طبيعته الذاتية، متعالٍ عن جميع أحوال الصيرورة، بلا سِمَةٍ مُقيِّدة.

Word by Word

• विद्या-विशेष-मार्ग-स्थम्: situated in the path of special knowledge
• विद्या-विशेष-मार्ग-स्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (स्थ = स्थित) — Neuter, Accusative/Nominative Singular (agreeing with implied शिवम्/तत्)

• अनेक-आकार-संज्ञितम्: designated by many forms
• अनेक-आकार-संज्ञितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञित (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त — Neuter, Accusative/Nominative Singular

• स्वभाव-भावना-ग्राह्यम्: graspable by contemplation of one’s own nature
• स्वभाव-भावना-ग्राह्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक) + भावना (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राह्य (कृदन्त; √ग्रह् धातु, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त — Neuter, Accusative/Nominative Singular

• भाव-अतीतम्: beyond all states/being
• भाव-अतीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (कृदन्त; √इ धातु, क्त; उपसर्ग अति)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — Neuter, Accusative/Nominative Singular

• अ-लक्षणम्: without defining marks
• अ-लक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + अ- (नञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक नकार — Neuter, Accusative/Nominative Singular

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsa-māhātmya context): narrator/teacher figure

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A montage: multiple Śiva forms (ascetic, householder, cosmic) appearing like reflections around a single central, markless light; the Prabhāsa Liṅga anchors the composition while the center dissolves into pure radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Though described in many ways, the supreme is realized only through inner contemplation and is ultimately beyond all definable states.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa kṣetra in the surrounding Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external rite; an inward prescription is implied: svabhāva-bhāvanā (contemplation on one’s true nature / the reality’s own nature).