Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कथं विनिर्मितं पूर्वं तस्मिन्दृष्टे तु किं फलम्

Transliteration

kathaṃ vinirmitaṃ pūrvaṃ tasmindṛṣṭe tu kiṃ phalam

Translation

„Wie wurde es einst gefertigt? Und welche Frucht erlangt man schon dadurch, dass man es dort nur erblickt?“

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (how?)

• विनिर्मितम्: made; constructed
• विनिर्मितम्: Karma/Predicate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-निर्-मा (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); ‘constructed/made’

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः (accusative used adverbially); कालवाचक—‘formerly/earlier’

• तस्मिन्: in that; when that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे—‘in/when that’

• दृष्टे: when (it is) seen
• दृष्टे: Adhikarana (Condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘seen’; अत्र सप्तमी-सम्बन्धे—‘when it is seen’

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• किम्: what
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: Karta/Predicate-noun
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Devī (Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhīmeśvara liṅga (Prabhāsa)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A close-up devotional moment: the question hangs in the air—how the liṅga was made and what fruit comes from seeing it. The shrine is quiet; the liṅga stands as a focal axis, inviting contemplation.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Prabhāsa
• Liṅga (Śiva-emblem)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In tīrtha-māhātmya, even darśana (reverent sight) is taught as a potent act that yields merit when directed toward a sanctified form of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, specifically the locale of the liṅga associated with Śvetaketu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana is implied as a meritorious act; no additional vow, bath, or charity is specified in this verse.