Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तत्क्षणात्तुष्टिमगमत्कांत्या परमया युतः । अब्रुवन्खन्यतामेतद्यथा भूयो जलं भवेत्

Transliteration

tatkṣaṇāttuṣṭimagamatkāṃtyā paramayā yutaḥ | abruvankhanyatāmetadyathā bhūyo jalaṃ bhavet

Translation

In eben diesem Augenblick wurde er zufrieden, erfüllt von höchstem Glanz. Sie sprachen: „Man grabe dies aus, damit hier wieder Wasser in Fülle hervorquille.“

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular) — विशेषणरूपेण

• क्षणात्: from that moment
• क्षणात्: Apādāna (Ablative/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)

• तुष्टिम्: satisfaction, contentment
• तुष्टिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• अगमत्: attained
• अगमत्: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• कान्त्या: by radiance
• कान्त्या: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

• परमया: supreme
• परमया: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular) — ‘कान्त्या’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• युतः: endowed
• युतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √युज्/युज्-सम्बन्धे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular) — भूतकृदन्त

• अब्रुवन्: they said
• अब्रुवन्: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• खन्यताम्: let (it) be dug
• खन्यताम्: Kriyā (Injunctive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular) — ‘let it be dug’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• यथा: so that
• यथा: Prayojana (Purpose/Result marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (conj./adverb) — ‘so that/as’

• भूयः: again, once more
• भूयः: Kāla/Prakāra (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/तुल्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• भवेत्: may become, might be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

Speaker

Narrator (first hemistich), then Tridaśas (Devas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of pilgrims/ascetics stands by a dry pit in Prabhāsa; one figure shines with sudden divine radiance as they decide to dig so water may return.

Characters & Entities

• Tridaśa (Devas)
• Candra (implied)
• Jala (water)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred landscapes are sustained through intentional acts; restoring water sources is portrayed as a dhārmic, merit-bearing deed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred water-source/reservoir in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, renewed by digging to bring forth water.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The practical injunction is to excavate/dig (khanyatām) so that water may re-emerge—an act akin to tīrtha-restoration.