Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 101

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । शिवरात्रिप्रभावोयमतुलः परिकीर्त्तितः । अजानता कृता तेन लुब्धकेन पुरा श्रुतम्

Transliteration

rājovāca | śivarātriprabhāvoyamatulaḥ parikīrttitaḥ | ajānatā kṛtā tena lubdhakena purā śrutam

Translation

Der König sprach: „Die unvergleichliche Größe der Śivarātri ist verkündet worden. Ich habe gehört, dass einst jener Jäger sie vollzog, selbst ohne ihre volle Bedeutung zu kennen.“

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिवरात्रिप्रभावः: the power/effect of Śivarātri
• शिवरात्रिप्रभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवरात्रि + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवरात्रेः प्रभावः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अतुलः: incomparable
• अतुलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परिकीर्तितः: has been proclaimed
• परिकीर्तितः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: परि

• अजानता: unknowingly
• अजानता: Karana/Hetu (Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + ज्ञा (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भव; अर्थे: 'not knowing'

• कृता: was done/observed
• कृता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (शिवरात्रिः) इति स्त्रीलिङ्ग-कर्तृपदेन सह

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• लुब्धकेन: by the hunter
• लुब्धकेन: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लुब्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• श्रुतम्: heard (as tradition)
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sārasvata (about to respond)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, seated respectfully in a sabhā or āśrama setting, asks about the incomparable power of Śivarātri, recalling the famed hunter who gained merit unknowingly; the teacher-sage sits calm, ready to explain.

Characters & Entities

• Śivarātri
• Lubdhaka (hunter)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even unintentional participation in sacred observances like Śivarātri can yield great merit, revealing the compassionate accessibility of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context is the Vastrāpatha/Yavādhika tīrtha narrative within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, though this verse foregrounds Śivarātri’s vrata-power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śivarātri observance (vrata) is referenced as the source of incomparable spiritual power, though details are not specified in this verse.