Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

विधाय भुजवेगं वा पादौ बद्ध्वा शनैः शनैः । मौनेन मानुषो मायां त्यक्त्वा याति शिवालये

Transliteration

vidhāya bhujavegaṃ vā pādau baddhvā śanaiḥ śanaiḥ | maunena mānuṣo māyāṃ tyaktvā yāti śivālaye

Translation

Ob er durch die Kraft der Arme voranschreitet oder mit gebundenen Füßen ganz langsam weitergeht: Der Mensch wirft durch heiliges Schweigen die Māyā ab und gelangt nach Śivālaya, zur Wohnstatt Śivas.

Word by Word

• विधाय: having arranged/produced
• विधाय: Kriya (Non-finite verb/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• भुज-वेगम्: the force of the arms
• भुज-वेगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक) + वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भुजानां वेगः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (particle of alternative)

• पादौ: the two feet
• पादौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Accusative dual

• बद्ध्वा: having bound
• बद्ध्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• शनैः: slowly
• शनैः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शनैः: very slowly
• शनैः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (पुनरुक्ति-बल); adverb (reduplication for emphasis)

• मौनेन: by silence
• मौनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• मानुषः: a human (man)
• मानुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मायाम्: illusion
• मायाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• शिव-आलये: to/in Śiva’s abode
• शिव-आलये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य आलयः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; Locative singular

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic pilgrim advances with great difficulty—either pulling forward by arms or moving with bound feet—yet surrounded by a calm aura; a luminous Śiva-temple/Śivālaya appears ahead as māyā (dark veil) falls away.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śivālaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined restraint—especially silence—purifies perception; austerity joined with devotion leads beyond māyā toward Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha kṣetra in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, described as a Śivālaya destination.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mauna (silence) as a vow/discipline, alongside severe yātrā-austerities (moving by arms or with feet bound, progressing slowly).