Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तदा नंदी विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । अपश्यन्नालमध्यस्थान्महर्षीन्परमाणुवत्

Transliteration

evamuktastadā naṃdī vismayotphullalocanaḥ | apaśyannālamadhyasthānmaharṣīnparamāṇuvat

Translation

So angesprochen, stand Nandin staunend mit weit geöffneten Augen da und sah die großen ṛṣis mitten im Schilfhalm, wie Atome.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• उक्तः: having been told
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नन्दी इति विशेष्य

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• नन्दी: Nandin
• नन्दी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः: whose eyes were widened in amazement
• विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismaya-utphulla-locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—विस्मयेन उत्फुल्ले लोचने यस्य (whose eyes are wide with wonder)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paś (पश् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नालमध्यस्थान्: situated in the middle of the reed
• नालमध्यस्थान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāla-madhya-stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (maharṣīn); समासः—नालस्य मध्ये स्थिताḥ

• महर्षीन्: great sages
• महर्षीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• परमाणुवत्: like atoms
• परमाणुवत्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paramāṇu-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव; उपमानवाचक (like an atom)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual narration within the dialogue section)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience of the māhātmya (pilgrims/reciters); immediate listener is Nandin to Śiva’s prior words

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandin, eyes widened in wonder, peers into the reed-stalk and beholds tiny great sages within, arranged distinctly, glowing like minute sparks.

Characters & Entities

• Nandin
• Mahārṣis
• Nāla (reed-stalk)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred realm reveals realities beyond ordinary scale—devotion and divine instruction expand one’s vision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, depicted as a place where extraordinary siddha-events manifest.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive verse highlighting the miracle.