Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स कदाचित्समासाद्य प्रभासं क्षेत्रमुत्तमम् । तताप विपुलं देवि तपः परमदारुणम्

Transliteration

sa kadācitsamāsādya prabhāsaṃ kṣetramuttamam | tatāpa vipulaṃ devi tapaḥ paramadāruṇam

Translation

Einst gelangte er nach Prabhāsa, dem erhabensten heiligen Bezirk; dort, o Göttin, übte er eine gewaltige, überaus strenge Askese.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कदाचित्: once; at some time
• कदाचित्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• समासाद्य: having reached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष (absolutive/gerund) ‘-य’ रूप; पूर्वकालिक: समासाद्य = having reached/approached

• प्रभासम्: Prabhāsa
• प्रभासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्थाननाम

• क्षेत्रम्: sacred field; holy place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent; best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तताप: performed austerity; did penance
• तताप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विपुलम्: abundant; great
• विपुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; संबोधन, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परमदारुणम्: extremely severe
• परमदारुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: परमं दारुणम्

Speaker

Narrator addressing Devī (the listener addressed as ‘devi’ within the narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dhruva arrives at Prabhāsa and begins fierce austerities—standing in meditation near a coastal sacred grove/temple precinct, body lean, eyes fixed, surrounded by quiet nature and subtle divine presence.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places amplify sincere austerity; Prabhāsa is portrayed as an ‘uttama kṣetra’ for intense spiritual practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Prabhāsatīrtha-region), presented as a supreme holy field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted—severe, sustained spiritual discipline at the holy site.