Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । मंकिर्नामाभवत्पूर्वं कुब्जकायो द्विजोत्तमः । प्रभासं क्षेत्रमासाद्यतपस्तेपे महत्तमम्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | maṃkirnāmābhavatpūrvaṃ kubjakāyo dvijottamaḥ | prabhāsaṃ kṣetramāsādyatapastepe mahattamam

Translation

ঈশ্বর বললেন—পূর্বে মঙ্কি নামে এক শ্রেষ্ঠ ব্রাহ্মণ ছিলেন, তাঁর দেহ কুঁজো ছিল। তিনি প্রভাস-ক্ষেত্রে এসে অতি মহান তপস্যা করলেন।

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• मंकि: Maṃki
• मंकि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मंकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/नामार्थक particle)

• अभवत्: was; became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Existence/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• कुब्जकायः: hunchback-bodied
• कुब्जकायः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुब्जकाय (प्रातिपदिक; कुब्ज + काय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मंकि/द्विजोत्तमः इत्यस्य); समासः कर्मधारयः

• द्विजोत्तमः: the best of the twice-born (a foremost Brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + उत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

• प्रभासम्: Prabhāsa
• प्रभासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थाननाम

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund); ‘आसाद्य’ = प्राप्त्वा

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• महत्तमम्: very great; greatest
• महत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; महत् + तमप्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तपः इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hunched but radiant brāhmaṇa ascetic, Maṃkir, arrives at Prabhāsa and begins severe austerities—simple garments, matted hair, and a determined gaze; the sacred landscape suggests coastal light and temple silhouettes.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Maṃkir
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere austerity performed in a consecrated tīrtha amplifies spiritual power, regardless of bodily limitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (the sacred field of Prabhāsa), praised in the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity/penance) undertaken after reaching the kṣetra; no specific dāna or snāna is stated in this verse.