Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

देवानां वचनाद्ब्रह्मा गत्वा सागरसन्निधौ । समुद्रार्थे ययाचे तान्ब्राह्मणान्क्षेत्रवासिनः

Transliteration

devānāṃ vacanādbrahmā gatvā sāgarasannidhau | samudrārthe yayāce tānbrāhmaṇānkṣetravāsinaḥ

Translation

Auf das Geheiß der Götter ging Brahmā an das Ufer des Ozeans und bat, um des Meeres willen, jene Brahmanen, die in der heiligen Gegend wohnten.

Word by Word

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वचनात्: from the command / at the word
• वचनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान; cause/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सागर-सन्निधौ: near the ocean
• सागर-सन्निधौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (sāgarasya sannidhau = in the vicinity of the ocean)

• समुद्र-अर्थे: for the sake of the ocean
• समुद्र-अर्थे: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (समुद्रस्य अर्थे = for the sake of the ocean)

• ययाचे: begged / requested
• ययाचे: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणान्: brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तान् इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• क्षेत्र-वासिनः: dwelling in the (sacred) field/region
• क्षेत्र-वासिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ब्राह्मणान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्र + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रे वासिनः = residing in the sacred place)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual narration within the Māhātmya; speaker not explicitly marked here)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (sāgara-sannidhi)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced and radiant, arrives at the ocean’s edge at Prabhāsa; waves roll behind him as he respectfully petitions a gathered assembly of resident brāhmaṇas seated on kusa mats, with ritual fires and water-pots nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā
• Sāgara/Samudra (Ocean)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Kṣetra-vāsin (holy-place residents)
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic powers seek the blessing of dharma-bearers; holiness of place is sustained through the authority of the righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra by the ocean—its sāgara-sannidhi (ocean-front sacred presence).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A petition for the ocean’s benefit is made to resident brāhmaṇas, implying rites of appeasement, blessing, and sanctification (prasāda/purification) to be performed.