Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

ओंकारपूर्वके देवि वीणापुस्तकधारिणि । वेदांबिके नमस्तुभ्यमवैधव्यं प्रयच्छ मे

Transliteration

oṃkārapūrvake devi vīṇāpustakadhāriṇi | vedāṃbike namastubhyamavaidhavyaṃ prayaccha me

Translation

O Göttin, der das Oṃ vorangeht, Trägerin von Vīṇā und Buch, Mutter der Veden — Verehrung sei Dir; gewähre mir den Segen, nicht zur Witwe zu werden (avaidhavya).

Word by Word

• ओंकार-पूर्वके: O (goddess) preceded by Oṃkāra
• ओंकार-पूर्वके: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ओंकारः पूर्वः यस्याः/यस्य)

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• वीणा-पुस्तक-धारिणि: O bearer of the vīṇā and book
• वीणा-पुस्तक-धारिणि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीणा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुस्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + धृ (धातु) → धारिन्/धारिणी (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (णिनि/इन्-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वीणां पुस्तकं च धारयति)

• वेद-अम्बिके: O mother of the Vedas
• वेद-अम्बिके: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वेदानाम् अम्बिका)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutation particle)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• अवैधव्यम्: non-widowhood (state of not being widowed)
• अवैधव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-वैधव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation)

• प्रयच्छ: grant/bestow
• प्रयच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान) एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) quoting the prescribed mantra (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close devotional focus: Sāvitrī as Veda-mother holding vīṇā and book, radiating śānta-tejas; a devotee (often a married woman in vrata context) offers flowers and prays for avaidavya.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Veda (as Vedāmbikā epithet)
• Oṃkāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is approached as the source of sacred knowledge and auspicious protection, granting stability and well-being in household life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where this Purāṇic mantra is prescribed within the worship sequence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa/recitation of a mantra to Sāvitrī (Vedāmbikā), seeking the boon of avaidhavya (freedom from widowhood).