Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 155

Devanagari script

सर्वकारणभूताय निष्ठाय ज्ञान चेतसाम् । नमः सूर्यस्वरूपाय प्रकाशालक्ष्यरूपिणे

Transliteration

sarvakāraṇabhūtāya niṣṭhāya jñāna cetasām | namaḥ sūryasvarūpāya prakāśālakṣyarūpiṇe

Translation

Verehrung Dem, der der Grund aller Ursachen ist, die feste Stütze derer, deren Geist im Wissen gegründet ist. Verehrung Dem, dessen Gestalt Sūrya ist, dessen Wesen Licht ist—und dessen wahre Form doch jenseits aller Wahrnehmung liegt.

Word by Word

• सर्वकारणभूताय: to the one who is the cause of all
• सर्वकारणभूताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-कारण-भूत (प्रातिपदिक; भूत = √भू (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण स्तुत्यर्थे—“सर्वकारणं भूतो यस्य/यः” इति

• निष्ठाय: to steadfastness / to firm devotion
• निष्ठाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• ज्ञान: knowledge
• ज्ञान: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन ‘ज्ञानचेतसाम्’ इत्यत्र

• चेतसाम्: of minds
• चेतसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutatory particle)

• सूर्यस्वरूपाय: to the one whose form is the Sun
• सूर्यस्वरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य-स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• प्रकाशालक्ष्यरूपिणे: to the one whose form is manifest yet unperceivable
• प्रकाशालक्ष्यरूपिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकाश-अलक्ष्य-रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; ‘रूपिन्’ इति तद्धितान्त-विशेषण

Speaker

Vālakhilyas (continuation of their hymn)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The praised deity (Sūrya-svarūpa, transcendent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dawn on the Prabhāsa coast, the sun rises as a blazing disc; yet behind it a subtle, formless radiance suggests the ‘unseen form’ beyond sensory grasp. Sages stand steady, eyes half-closed, embodying jñāna-niṣṭhā.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Bhāsvat (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The visible sun symbolizes the invisible Supreme: light is seen, but its ultimate source is transcendent—guiding seekers from perception to realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, associating the place with profound Sūrya-tattva contemplation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse itself is a namaskāra suitable for devotional recitation.