Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा विष्णुना चापि यस्यांतो नाधिगम्यते । तस्यातर्क्यप्रभावस्य को नु वेदाशयं प्रभोः

Transliteration

brahmaṇā viṣṇunā cāpi yasyāṃto nādhigamyate | tasyātarkyaprabhāvasya ko nu vedāśayaṃ prabhoḥ

Translation

যাঁর সীমা ব্রহ্মা ও বিষ্ণুও জানতে পারেন না, সেই অতর্ক্য প্রভাবশালী প্রভুর অন্তরের অভিপ্রায় কে-ই বা সম্পূর্ণরূপে জানতে পারে?

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अपि-शब्दः (even/also)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular)

• अन्तः: end, limit
• अन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अधिगम्यते: is attained/known
• अधिगम्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अतर्क्यप्रभावस्य: of (him) of inconceivable power
• अतर्क्यप्रभावस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतर्क्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (अतर्क्यः प्रभावः यस्य = 'of one whose power is inconceivable')

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (interrogative)

• नु: indeed (in question)
• नु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक निपात (interrogative particle)

• वेद: knows
• वेद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आशयम्: intention, inner thought
• आशयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रभोः: of the Lord
• प्रभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience in the mahatmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic vision: Brahmā and Viṣṇu shown unable to find Śiva’s limit—suggested through endless pillar-of-light imagery or an infinite expanse—while the narrator poses a rhetorical question about knowing the Lord’s inner intent.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Prabhu (Śiva implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

God’s will and power transcend human (and even divine) calculation; humility is essential in spiritual discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, within whose māhātmya such theological truths are proclaimed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is doctrinal, emphasizing the unfathomable nature of the Lord.