Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तत्रेष्टा ब्रह्मणा पूर्वं कोटि संख्या मखोत्तमाः । संस्थाप्य तु महादेवं शंकरं लोकशंकरम

Transliteration

tatreṣṭā brahmaṇā pūrvaṃ koṭi saṃkhyā makhottamāḥ | saṃsthāpya tu mahādevaṃ śaṃkaraṃ lokaśaṃkarama

Translation

Dort vollzog Brahmā in alter Zeit die vortrefflichsten Opfer, an Zahl ein Koṭi (ein Crore). Und er errichtete Mahādeva—Śaṅkara, den Wohltäter der Welten.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक-अव्यय/locative adverb)

• इष्टाः: (were) performed / offered
• इष्टाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त; √यज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक-अव्यय/temporal adverb)

• कोटि: a crore (ten million)
• कोटि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (संख्यावाचक-नाम)

• संख्याः: in number, count
• संख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मखोत्तमाः: excellent sacrifices
• मखोत्तमाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थः (best among sacrifices)

• संस्थाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• संस्थाप्य: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial to action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संस्था (उपसर्ग) + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• तु: indeed, and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphasis/contrast)

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

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

• लोकशंकरम्: benefactor of the worlds
• लोकशंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + शंकर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य शंकरः)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrator, traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Koṭimedha (central liṅga) precinct at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced, performs vast sacrifices and then installs Śaṅkara as a liṅga at Prabhāsa; the scene blends Vedic fire-altars with temple sanctity, suggesting a transition from yajña to bhakti.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Śaṅkara
• Koṭimedha context (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even Brahmā’s vast sacrificial power culminates in establishing and honoring Śaṅkara—indicating Śiva-bhakti as the heart of sacred merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra’s central liṅga region associated with Koṭimedha and Brahmā’s ancient rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saṃsthāpana/pratiṣṭhā (establishing the deity/liṅga) and the performance of makhas (yajñas) are referenced.