Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

मयापि स्थापिता चात्र ज्ञात्वा क्षेत्रमनुत्तमम् । किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन भवद्भिः सर्वथैव हि

Transliteration

mayāpi sthāpitā cātra jñātvā kṣetramanuttamam | kimatra bahunoktena bhavadbhiḥ sarvathaiva hi

Translation

Auch ich habe es hier errichtet, da ich wusste, dass dieses Kṣetra unvergleichlich ist. Was bedarf es vieler Worte? Wahrlich, in jeder Hinsicht ist es für euch das Höchste.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• स्थापिता: (was) established
• स्थापिता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थापित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘स्थापिता (अभूत्)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

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

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञात्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्तः—क्त्वा (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (क्षेत्रम्)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• बहुना: with much (talk)
• बहुना: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘बहु’ = much (as instrument: with much)

• उक्तेन: by what is said/with words
• उक्तेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘उक्त’ = speech/statement

• भवद्भिः: by you (honorific, plural)
• भवद्भिः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक ‘you’

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

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

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (for/indeed)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (deduced from immediate context of the adhyāya dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The narrator concludes: having recognized Prabhāsa as unsurpassed, he installs the icon there; the tone is final and assured, as if sealing a sacred decision for all future pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra (implied)
• the installed sacred image (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of a tīrtha is affirmed by divine choice: the deity’s own installation sanctifies the place as incomparable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, described as anuttama (unsurpassed).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pratiṣṭhā (installation/establishment) is referenced; no step-by-step rite is provided in this verse.