Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

शुद्धज्योतिःस्वरूपाय निर्मूर्तायामलात्मने । वरिष्ठाय वरेण्याय सर्वस्मै परमात्मने

Transliteration

śuddhajyotiḥsvarūpāya nirmūrtāyāmalātmane | variṣṭhāya vareṇyāya sarvasmai paramātmane

Translation

Ehrerbietung dem höchsten Selbst, dessen Wesen reines Licht ist; dem Formlosen, dem makellosen Innersten; dem Vortrefflichsten und Würdigsten der Wahl; dem Alles-in-allem, dem Paramātman.

Word by Word

• शुद्धज्योतिःस्वरूपाय: to (you) whose nature is pure light
• शुद्धज्योतिःस्वरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; ‘शुद्धं ज्योतिः एव स्वरूपं यस्य’

• निर्मूर्ताय: to the formless one
• निर्मूर्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मूर्त (प्रातिपदिक; निर्- + मूर्ति)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषण

• अमलात्मने: to (you) of stainless self
• अमलात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; ‘अमलः आत्मा यस्य’

• वरिष्ठाय: to the best/supreme
• वरिष्ठाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; वर-तमप् superlative)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; अतिशय-विशेषण

• वरेण्याय: to the most worthy
• वरेण्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरेण्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वृ (धातु) यत्/ण्यत् ‘worthy of choosing’)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• सर्वस्मै: to the all (to the universal one)
• सर्वस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सर्व-शब्दस्य विशेषरूप (irregular dative sg.)

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परमात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग

Speaker

Nārada (implied, as a hymn of praise preceding Sūrya’s appearance)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast field of pure radiance without anthropomorphic boundaries; the devotee stands small before an all-pervading light, suggesting the formless Paramātman praised as ‘all-in-all’.

Characters & Entities

• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True divinity is recognized as pure, formless, stainless consciousness—worthy of reverence beyond all limited forms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), presented in the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya as a field of sacred merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it functions as a stotra (devotional praise) that frames the ensuing boon narrative.