Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अप्रतर्क्यमनुच्चार्यं कलनाकालवर्जितम् । निःशब्दं निश्चलं सौम्यं देहातीतं परात्परम्

Transliteration

apratarkyamanuccāryaṃ kalanākālavarjitam | niḥśabdaṃ niścalaṃ saumyaṃ dehātītaṃ parātparam

Translation

هو فوقَ القياس العقلي وفوقَ النطق، منزَّهٌ عن الحساب والزمن؛ بلا صوت، ساكنٌ لا يتحرّك، لطيفٌ ووديع؛ يتجاوز الجسد ويقوم بوصفه الأسمى، بل فوقَ الأسمى.

Word by Word

• apratarkyam: not reachable by reasoning
• apratarkyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (निषेध) + pratarkya (कृदन्त; √tर्क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्रतर्क्य’ (inferable/arguable) इत्यस्य निषेधः

• anuccāryam: not pronounceable
• anuccāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an- (निषेध) + uccārya (कृदन्त; √car/√car?; here √car in causative sense ‘to utter’ via √car/√car?; standard: √car is not; better: √car is move; utter = √car?; accepted as √car?;)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘उच्चार्य’ (to be pronounced) इत्यस्य निषेधः; कृदन्त-विशेषण

• kalanā-kāla-varjitam: devoid of calculation and time
• kalanā-kāla-varjitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalanā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (कृदन्त; √vṛj)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘कलना-कालयोः वर्जितम्’ इति; कृदन्त (वर्जित)

• niḥśabdam: soundless
• niḥśabdam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis-/niḥ (उपसर्ग) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण — ‘शब्दरहितम्’

• niścalam: motionless
• niścalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis-/niḥ (उपसर्ग) + cala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘चल’ (moving) इत्यस्य निषेधार्थक-उपसर्ग; विशेषण

• saumyam: gentle/benign
• saumyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• deha-atītam: beyond the body
• deha-atītam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (कृदन्त; √i + ati)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘देहात् अतीतम्’ इति; कृदन्त (अतीत)

• parāt-param: beyond the supreme
• parāt-param: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘परात् परम्’ (beyond the beyond/supreme beyond)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A still, moonlit seashore at Prabhāsa; the Somnātha liṅga in a quiet sanctum; the deity suggested through radiance and stillness rather than form—devotees in mauna with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation-oriented contemplation: the highest reality is beyond time, speech, and bodily identity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where Śiva is revered as parātpara (beyond the highest).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is prescribed; the verse supports silent contemplation and detachment.