Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

चंद्र उवाच । ॐ नमो देवदेवाय शिवाय परमात्मने । अप्रमेयस्वरूपाय ब्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणे

Transliteration

caṃdra uvāca | oṃ namo devadevāya śivāya paramātmane | aprameyasvarūpāya byaktāvyaktasvarūpiṇe

Translation

Candra sprach: „Oṃ—Ehrerbietung Śiva, dem Gott der Götter, dem höchsten Selbst; dessen Wesen unermeßlich ist, der zugleich in manifestierter und unmanifestierter Gestalt erscheint.“

Word by Word

• चंद्रः: Candra (the Moon)
• चंद्रः: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उवाच
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ॐ: Oṃ
• ॐ: Sambodhana/Mantra-pada (Invocatory)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रणव (sacred syllable)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriyā (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय (indeclinable interjection); नमस्कारार्थक

• देवदेवाय: to the God of gods
• देवदेवाय: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradāna (Recipient; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परमात्मने: Sampradāna (Recipient; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः आत्मा)

• अप्रमेयस्वरूपाय: to one whose form is immeasurable
• अप्रमेयस्वरूपाय: Sampradāna (Recipient; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रमेय + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः (अप्रमेयं स्वरूपं यस्य)

• व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणे: to the one whose nature is both manifest and unmanifest
• व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणे: Sampradāna (Recipient; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यक्त + अव्यक्त + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपदसमासः (व्यक्तं च अव्यक्तं च) + स्वरूपिन् (possessor of form)

Speaker

Candra (Soma / Niśākara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva (addressed); outer-frame listener is Varavarṇinī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Candra begins the hymn with Oṁ and lofty metaphysical epithets; Śiva stands as both icon and ineffable presence—suggested by radiance dissolving into space.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Soma)
• Śiva
• Paramātman
• Oṃ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is praised as transcending categories—both immanent (manifest) and transcendent (unmanifest)—inviting a contemplative devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The hymn is uttered in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra narrative, reinforcing the site as a place of Śiva’s direct revelation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantric salutation (oṃ namaḥ) and stuti are exemplified as devotional acts.