Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

भवत्यः पतिभावेन ब्रह्मभावेन वा पुनः । चिंतयंत्यः परं मां हि परागतिमवाप्स्यथ

Transliteration

bhavatyaḥ patibhāvena brahmabhāvena vā punaḥ | ciṃtayaṃtyaḥ paraṃ māṃ hi parāgatimavāpsyatha

Translation

O ihr Frauen, ob ihr Mich in der Haltung eines Gatten betrachtet oder wiederum in der Haltung des Brahman (des Absoluten): Indem ihr über Mich als den Höchsten meditiert, werdet ihr den höchsten Zustand erlangen.

Word by Word

• भवत्यः: you (ladies)
• भवत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (2nd person honorific pronoun)

• पति-भावेन: with the attitude of (as) a husband
• पति-भावेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Mode)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पतेः भावः)

• ब्रह्म-भावेन: with the attitude of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-भावेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Mode)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः भावः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पुनः: again; moreover
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति/पुनरागमनार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again/further)

• चिन्तयन्त्यः: thinking; contemplating
• चिन्तयन्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकालिक-परस्मैपदी शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (used as adjective to ‘mām’)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• परा-गतिम्: the highest goal
• परा-गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परा + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परा एव गतिः)

• अवाप्स्यथ: you will attain
• अवाप्स्यथ: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śrī Govinda (Kṛṣṇa) (deduced from immediate narrative context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gopīs (explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme appears in two complementary iconographic modes: as enchanting beloved (for pati-bhāva) and as radiant, formless-leaning Absolute (for brahma-bhāva); gopīs meditate with different inner attitudes yet converge toward the same luminous summit.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda (implied by surrounding verses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere contemplation of the Supreme—through personal devotion or non-dual reverence—leads to the highest spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Dvārakā Māhātmya context connected to Gopīsara tīrtha, though this line emphasizes inner upāsanā rather than geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative remembrance (cintana/upāsanā) of the Supreme; no external rite is specified in this verse.