Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

यस्याखिलं जगदिदं वशवर्ति नित्यं योऽष्टाभिरेव तनुभिर्भुवनानि भुंक्ते । यत्कारणं परमकारणकारणानां तं शंकरं शरणदं शरणं व्रजामि

Transliteration

yasyākhilaṃ jagadidaṃ vaśavarti nityaṃ yo'ṣṭābhireva tanubhirbhuvanāni bhuṃkte | yatkāraṇaṃ paramakāraṇakāraṇānāṃ taṃ śaṃkaraṃ śaraṇadaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi

Translation

Er, unter dessen Macht dieses ganze Universum stets steht; der mit acht Gestalten die Welten durchdringt und lenkt; der die Ursache ist—die höchste Ursache aller Ursachen—zu jenem Śaṅkara, dem Spender des Schutzes, nehme ich Zuflucht.

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन (Genitive, Singular; whose)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; entire)

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; निर्देशक-विशेषणम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; this)

• वशवर्ति: is under control
• वशवर्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशवर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (under control/obedient) (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative; always)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; who)

• अष्टाभिः: by eight
• अष्टाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषणम् (Instrumental, Plural; by eight)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपातः (particle; indeed/only)

• तनुभिः: with bodies/forms
• तनुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)

• भुवनानि: worlds
• भुवनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Plural)

• भुंक्ते: enjoys, governs
• भुंक्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम् (Present, 3rd person, Singular, Atmanepada)

• यत्कारणम्: which is the cause
• यत्कारणम्: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् + कारण (प्रातिपदिक; सन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘यत्’ विशेषणम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; that cause)

• परमकारणकारणानाम्: of the causes (He is) the cause of the supreme causes
• परमकारणकारणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + कारण + कारण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; (परमाणां कारणानां कारणम्) (Neuter, Genitive, Plural)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• शरणदम्: giver of refuge
• शरणदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण + द (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• शरणम्: for refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; goal)

• व्रजामि: I go, I take refuge
• व्रजामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम् (Present, 1st person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

Speaker

Dhruva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as cosmic lord with eightfold manifestations subtly indicated: elements and luminaries arranged around him; the universe depicted as under his gentle governance; devotee voice offers refuge.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Aṣṭamūrti (eight forms)
• Universe (jagat)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is affirmed as the cosmic ground—controller, sustainer, and ultimate cause—making surrender to Him the highest refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The doctrinal praise occurs within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, connecting Śiva’s cosmic status to the sanctity of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; the practice implied is stotra-recitation grounded in theological contemplation of Śiva’s aṣṭamūrti nature.