Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कि कर्त्तव्यं मया तत्र ह्यस्मिञ्छापे सुदारुणे । अथ किं पूजयिष्यामि सर्वकामप्रदं शिवम्

Transliteration

ki karttavyaṃ mayā tatra hyasmiñchāpe sudāruṇe | atha kiṃ pūjayiṣyāmi sarvakāmapradaṃ śivam

Translation

“What should I do in the face of this most dreadful curse? And by what means shall I worship Śiva, the bestower of all desired aims?”

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done / duty
• कर्तव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be done’

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (Case 3), एकवचन; instrumental ‘by me’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/indeed

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन; demonstrative ‘in this’

• शापे: in the curse
• शापे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन

• सुदारुणे: very dreadful
• सुदारुणे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु- (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘शापे’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/प्रसङ्गसूचक (then/now)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; interrogative

• पूजयिष्यामि: shall I worship
• पूजयिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वकामप्रदम्: giver of all desires
• सर्वकामप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘सर्वान् कामान् प्रददाति’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘शिवम्’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

Speaker

Candra (implied by continuity)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda (implied forthcoming)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Candra, weakened, speaks inwardly: ‘What shall I do? How shall I worship Śiva?’—a moment of surrender and strategic devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (implied)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When overwhelmed by fate, one should seek right counsel and take refuge in devoted worship of Śiva, the granter of auspicious ends.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The question leads into the Arbuda sacred setting, where Śiva is approached through austerity and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā of Śiva is indicated in principle, with details (tapas/japa/homa) appearing in the following verse.