Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

इच्छाशक्तिस्तु सा ज्ञेयाप्रभासक्षेत्रसंस्थिता । तत्र देवि हितार्थाय सर्वेषां प्राणिनां भुवि

Transliteration

icchāśaktistu sā jñeyāprabhāsakṣetrasaṃsthitā | tatra devi hitārthāya sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ bhuvi

Translation

Sie ist als Icchāśakti zu erkennen, die Kraft des Willens, die im heiligen Kṣetra von Prabhāsa weilt. Dort, o Göttin, zum Heil aller lebenden Wesen auf Erden.

Word by Word

• इच्छाशक्तिः: the power of will
• इच्छाशक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छाशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; इच्छा + शक्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इच्छायाः शक्तिः / इच्छाशक्ति), प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘will-power’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — contrast/emphasis ‘but/indeed’

• सा: she/that
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘she/that’

• ज्ञेया: should be known
• ज्ञेया: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: विधेयार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘to be known/should be known’

• प्रभासक्षेत्रसंस्थिता: situated in the Prabhāsa sacred field
• प्रभासक्षेत्रसंस्थिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभासक्षेत्रसंस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; प्रभास + क्षेत्र + संस्थित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (संस्थित = past participle ‘situated’), तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रभासक्षेत्रे संस्थिता) — ‘situated in Prabhāsa-kṣetra’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb) — ‘there’

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन — ‘O Goddess’

• हितार्थाय: for (their) welfare
• हितार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हितार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; हित + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (हितस्य अर्थः) — ‘for the sake of welfare’

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — ‘of all’

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — ‘of living beings’

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री ‘earth’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — ‘on earth/in the world’

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Icchāśakti-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed as ‘devi’ within the verse’s vocative frame; broader audience is the listener of the mahatmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī as Icchāśakti enthroned within Prabhāsa’s sacred field, radiating a gentle force that touches humans, animals, and birds—signifying ‘for the welfare of all living beings’. Somnātha’s presence is implied as the axis of her establishment.

Characters & Entities

• Icchāśakti
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Devī/Umā
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is portrayed as a living center of divine power meant for universal welfare, not merely individual gain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, described as the seat of Icchāśakti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recognition/meditation on Icchāśakti’s presence in Prabhāsa is implied; no explicit procedure is stated in this verse.