Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ग्रहीष्यंतं ततः सोममश्विनोः सत्तमं तदा । समीक्ष्य बलभिद्देव इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

grahīṣyaṃtaṃ tataḥ somamaśvinoḥ sattamaṃ tadā | samīkṣya balabhiddeva idaṃ vacanamabravīt

Translation

Da er nun sah, wie jener im Begriff war, das für die Aśvins bestimmte Soma zu nehmen, sprach Balabhid (Indra), der Gott, diese Worte.

Word by Word

• ग्रहीष्यन्तम्: about to seize / intending to take
• ग्रहीष्यन्तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त भविष्यत्कालिक-कृदन्त (future active participle; -iṣyant), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तदर्थक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• सोमम्: Soma
• सोमम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अश्विनोः: of the two Aśvins
• अश्विनोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• सत्तमम्: the best / most excellent
• सत्तमम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) सोमम् इत्यस्य

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• समीक्ष्य: having observed
• समीक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• बलभित्: the breaker of (Vṛtra’s) power (Indra)
• बलभित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलभिद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः = बलं भिनत्ति इति

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वचनम्: speech / words
• वचनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (narrating); quoted speaker: Indra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic interlocutor(s)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Cavana reaches for the soma meant for the Aśvins; Indra (Balabhid) notices and speaks sharply, the vajra visible, the twins watching with restrained hope.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvins
• Balabhid (Indra)
• Soma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is safeguarded through vigilance over sacred rites; even gods intervene when ritual order is threatened.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the narrative of yajña and its sanctity is set.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The Soma portion assigned to the Aśvins is referenced, underscoring correct ritual entitlement.