Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

सुरभ्युवाच । लोकानामुपकाराय सृष्टाहं परमेष्ठिना । लोककार्याणि सर्वाणि सिध्यन्ति मत्प्रसादतः

Transliteration

surabhyuvāca | lokānāmupakārāya sṛṣṭāhaṃ parameṣṭhinā | lokakāryāṇi sarvāṇi sidhyanti matprasādataḥ

Translation

Surabhī said: For the benefit of the worlds I was created by Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā). By my favor, all the works and aims of beings in the world are accomplished.

Word by Word

• सुरभि: Surabhī
• सुरभि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds/people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• उपकाराय: for the benefit
• उपकाराय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे चतुर्थी

• सृष्टा: created
• सृष्टा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृष्ट (कृदन्त; √सृज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘created’; predicate with अहम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परमेष्ठिना: by the Creator (Parameṣṭhin/Brahmā)
• परमेष्ठिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• लोककार्याणि: the works of the worlds
• लोककार्याणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: लोकानां कार्याणि)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to लोककार्याणि)

• सिध्यन्ति: are accomplished
• सिध्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सिध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मत्प्रसादतः: by/through my grace
• मत्प्रसादतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘from/through’; समास: मत्-प्रसाद (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मम प्रसादः) + तः

Speaker

Surabhī (Kāmadhenu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha of Surabhī’s request (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Surabhī speaks with dignified calm, indicating her cosmic origin from Brahmā and her role in fulfilling worldly aims; Śiva listens, the riverbank tīrtha serene behind them.

Characters & Entities

• Surabhī (Kāmadhenu)
• Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beings created for loka-hita (world-welfare) become channels of divine blessing, supporting dharma and human flourishing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Gopāreśvara narrative setting; this verse foregrounds Surabhī’s sacred status behind the tīrtha’s origin.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it establishes Surabhī’s world-benefiting role, later linked to tīrtha merit and dāna.