Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

आदिदेवस्य देवेशि महेशस्य महाप्रभोः । शक्या नैव गुणा वक्तुं वर्षाकोटिशतैरपि

Transliteration

ādidevasya deveśi maheśasya mahāprabhoḥ | śakyā naiva guṇā vaktuṃ varṣākoṭiśatairapi

Translation

Doch, o Göttin der Götter, die Eigenschaften Maheśas—des großen Herrn, des uranfänglichen Deva—können nicht ausgesprochen werden, selbst nicht in Hunderten von Krore Jahren.

Word by Word

• आदिदेवस्य: of the primordial god
• आदिदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• देवेशि: O goddess, lady of the gods
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; संबोधनपद

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• महाप्रभोः: of the great lord
• महाप्रभोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शक्याः: are possible
• शक्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त; √शक् धातु, यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेयविशेषण

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• गुणाः: qualities
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वक्तुम्: to describe
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• वर्षाकोटिशतैः: by hundreds of crores of years
• वर्षाकोटिशतैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; साधन/परिमाणवाचक

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = even

Speaker

Śiva (continuation to Devī, vocative deveśi)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somēśvara/Somnath focus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotional tableau: Devī and Maheśa in serene dialogue; the verse’s sense is cosmic—Śiva’s qualities radiate as limitless light beyond the horizon of time, while Prabhāsa’s shoreline/temple silhouette is implied as the earthly anchor.

Characters & Entities

• Ādideva
• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Devī (deveśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme Lord’s greatness is infinite; devotion is nurtured by recognizing that divine qualities exceed all temporal and verbal limits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The praise is delivered within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya centered on Someśvara (Somnātha), reinforcing Śiva’s supremacy at this kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is theological stuti emphasizing contemplation and reverence for Mahādeva’s boundless attributes.