Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

मंकिरुवाच । किं वरेण सुरश्रेष्ठ मम वृद्धस्य सांप्रतम् । किञ्चिन्मे परमं दुःखं स्थितस्यात्र परं प्रभो

Transliteration

maṃkiruvāca | kiṃ vareṇa suraśreṣṭha mama vṛddhasya sāṃpratam | kiñcinme paramaṃ duḥkhaṃ sthitasyātra paraṃ prabho

Translation

Maṃkir sprach: »O Bester der Götter, wozu taugt mir jetzt eine Gabe, da ich alt bin? Doch ein großer Schmerz bedrückt mich, während ich hier verweile, o höchster Herr.«

Word by Word

• मंकिः: Maṅki
• मंकिः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मंकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• वरेण: with a boon; by a boon
• वरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक: सुर + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां श्रेष्ठः)

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वृद्धस्य: of (me) who am old
• वृद्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सांप्रतम्: now, at present
• सांप्रतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal modifier/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सांप्रतम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time: now/at present)

• किञ्चित्: some
• किञ्चित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनिश्चितपरिमाणवाचक (some)

• मे: my, for me
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular) एन्क्लिटिक

• परमम्: great, supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• स्थितस्य: of (me) who am staying/remaining
• स्थितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place: here)

• परम्: O supreme one
• परम्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Maṃkir

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva (Mahādeva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maṃki, frail with age, speaks with folded hands yet a pained expression; Śiva stands compassionate. The scene emphasizes humility and the poignancy of late-life reflection.

Characters & Entities

• Maṃkir
• Śiva (addressed as Suraśreṣṭha, Prabhu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion values spiritual resolution over personal gain; even a boon is secondary to removing inner grief and obstacles to worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the devotee remains engaged and seeks a deeper fulfillment than worldly benefits.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse frames the devotee’s intention behind seeking divine help.