Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

प्रसार्य सुमहज्जालं सर्वे चाकर्षयन्बलात् । अथ तं च महामत्स्यं निषादा बलदर्पिताः

Transliteration

prasārya sumahajjālaṃ sarve cākarṣayanbalāt | atha taṃ ca mahāmatsyaṃ niṣādā baladarpitāḥ

Translation

Sie breiteten ein überaus großes Netz aus und zogen es alle mit Gewalt heran; dann zerrten die Niṣādas, stolz auf ihre Kraft, auch einen großen Fisch herauf.

Word by Word

• प्रसार्य: having spread
• प्रसार्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-सर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having spread/extended)

• सुमहत्-जालम्: a very large net
• सुमहत्-जालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + महत् + जाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुमहत् जालम् = very large net)

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• आकर्षयन्: pulled, dragged
• आकर्षयन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-कृष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ/प्रकारे (by force)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• महामत्स्यम्: a huge fish
• महामत्स्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् मत्स्यः)

• निषादाः: Niṣādas (fisher folk)
• निषादाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बलदर्पिताः: proud of their strength
• बलदर्पिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल + दर्पित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (बलेन दर्पिताः) विशेषण (qualifying निषादाः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing the narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra waters

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Fishermen spread an enormous net across shimmering waters; with coordinated pulling they haul it forcefully, exulting as a massive fish seems caught—unaware of the ascetic entangled or nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Niṣādas
• Fishermen

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly pride and forceful action set the stage for moral awakening when confronted with true tapas and sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode belongs to Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, situating the moral narrative within a sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates an incident involving fishermen and a net.