Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

किं कृतैर्बहुभिर्यज्ञैरुपवासैर्निशाकर । सकृत्पश्यंति मां येऽत्र ते सर्वे लेभिरे फलम्

Transliteration

kiṃ kṛtairbahubhiryajñairupavāsairniśākara | sakṛtpaśyaṃti māṃ ye'tra te sarve lebhire phalam

Translation

O Niśākara, wozu viele Yajñas und zahlreiche Fasten? Wer Mich hier auch nur einmal erblickt, der erlangt gewiss die verheißene Frucht.

Word by Word

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

• कृतैः: by performed
• कृतैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘कृत’ = done/performed

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निशाकर: O Moon (night-maker)
• निशाकर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (निशायाः करः)

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पश्यन्ति: they see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक

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

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• लेभिरे: obtained
• लेभिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• फलम्: fruit, result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Śambhu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somanātha at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Soma/Candra (Niśākara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s voice dismisses the need for many yajñas and fasts; a devotee’s single darśana of the Somanātha liṅga radiates fulfillment, as sacrificial implements fade into insignificance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Candra (Niśākara)
• Prabhāsa
• Yajña
• Upavāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a supremely sanctified kṣetra, sincere darśana can outweigh elaborate ritual austerities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where even a single darśana of the Lord is highly meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse de-emphasizes yajña and upavāsa in comparison to darśana; it implicitly recommends coming for darśana.