Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तस्मादुत्तारयामासुः सलिलाद्ब्रह्मनंदनम् । तं दृष्ट्वा तपसा दीप्तं कैवर्त्ता भयविह्वलाः । शिरोभिः प्रणिपत्योच्चैरिदं वचनमब्रुवन्

Transliteration

tasmāduttārayāmāsuḥ salilādbrahmanaṃdanam | taṃ dṛṣṭvā tapasā dīptaṃ kaivarttā bhayavihvalāḥ | śirobhiḥ praṇipatyoccairidaṃ vacanamabruvan

Translation

Aus jenem Wasser zogen sie den „Sohn des Brahman“, den brāhmaṇa-Weisen, heraus. Als sie ihn sahen, vom Glanz der Askese leuchtend, wurden die Fischer von Furcht ergriffen, neigten ehrfürchtig das Haupt und sprachen laut diese Worte:

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore; from that
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपं (Ablative singular) अव्ययीभावेन कारण/अपादानार्थे (from that/therefore)

• uttārayāmāsuḥ: they caused to be brought out; they rescued
• uttārayāmāsuḥ: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: uttāraya (उत्+तॄ/तारयति; धातु √tṝ/√tṛ + णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural); परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• salilāt: from the water
• salilāt: Apādāna (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: salila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन (Ablative singular)

• brahmanandanam: Brahmā’s son
• brahmanandanam: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-nandana (प्रातिपदिक; brahma + nandana)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brahmaṇaḥ nandanaḥ)

• tam: him
• tam: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) — “having seen”

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• dīptam: blazing; radiant
• dīptam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīpta (दीप्त; √dīp धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with tam)

• kaivarttāḥ: the fishermen
• kaivarttāḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaivarta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• bhaya-vihvalāḥ: terrified; panic-stricken
• bhaya-vihvalāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of kaivarttāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya + vihvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (bhayena vihvalāḥ / bhayasya vihvalāḥ) — “overwhelmed by fear”

• śirobhiḥ: with (their) heads
• śirobhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument; manner of bowing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• praṇipatya: having prostrated
• praṇipatya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (नम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) — “having bowed down/prostrated”

• uccaiḥ: aloud; loudly
• uccaiḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uccaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• idam: this
• idam: Karman (Object; of abruvan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• vacanam: speech; words
• vacanam: Karman (Object; apposition to idam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• abruvan: they said; spoke
• abruvan: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing the narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (waterside)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Fishermen pull a brāhmaṇa sage from the water; he appears radiant with austerity, eyes steady, body composed. The fishermen recoil in fear, then bow with heads lowered, hands joined, speaking loudly in supplication.

Characters & Entities

• Āpastamba
• Kaivartas (fishermen)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True austerity commands reverence and can awaken humility even in those who act wrongly out of ignorance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The event is framed within Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, associating the land and waters with ascetic power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prostration (praṇipāta) is depicted as the immediate response of repentance and respect.