Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

एवं महाप्रभावोऽसौ प्रभासक्षेत्रमध्यगः । ब्रह्मा स्वयंभूर्भगवान्बालत्वात्क्षेत्रमाश्रितः

Transliteration

evaṃ mahāprabhāvo'sau prabhāsakṣetramadhyagaḥ | brahmā svayaṃbhūrbhagavānbālatvātkṣetramāśritaḥ

Translation

So ist (Brahmā), der inmitten des Prabhāsa-kṣetra weilt, von großer Majestät. Brahmā, der Swayambhū, der Erhabene, aus sich selbst Geborene—aufgrund seines kindlichen Zustandes—hat in diesem heiligen Feld Zuflucht genommen.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण

• महाप्रभावः: of great power
• महाप्रभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण

• असौ: that (person)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रभासक्षेत्रमध्यगः: situated in the midst of the Prabhāsa field
• प्रभासक्षेत्रमध्यगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभास + क्षेत्र + मध्य + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण; (मध्यग = ‘in the middle-going/being in the middle’)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• स्वयंभूः: the self-born
• स्वयंभूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् + भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेषणरूपेण

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• बालत्वात्: because of childhood
• बालत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; हेतुवाचक (cause)

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

• आश्रितः: having resorted to
• आश्रितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√श्रि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (one who has resorted to)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the heart of Prabhāsa-kṣetra, a radiant aura-field (prabhā) surrounds a youthful Brahmā seated in reverence, hands folded toward an unseen sanctity (Somnātha/Śiva-presence). The landscape shows coastal light, temple spire, and a mandala marking the ‘center’ of the kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the creator-god honors the tīrtha: the holiness of Prabhāsa is so great that Brahmā himself abides there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Somnātha region) is explicitly glorified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse establishes the tīrtha’s authority through Brahmā’s residence.