Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

वागुवाच । मा पुत्रि साहसं कार्षीस्तपसा तिष्ठ सुन्दरि । भूयः प्राप्स्यसि भर्त्तारं कामें तुष्टेन शंभुना

Transliteration

vāguvāca | mā putri sāhasaṃ kārṣīstapasā tiṣṭha sundari | bhūyaḥ prāpsyasi bharttāraṃ kāmeṃ tuṣṭena śaṃbhunā

Translation

Vāk said: “O daughter, do not act rashly. Abide in austerity (tapas), O fair one. You shall obtain your husband Kāma once again, when Śambhu (Śiva) is pleased.”

Word by Word

• वाक्: the voice
• वाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• पुत्रि: O daughter
• पुत्रि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन

• साहसम्: rash act
• साहसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कार्षीः: do (not do)
• कार्षीः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; निषेध ‘मा’ सह (prohibitive imperative)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तिष्ठ: stay, remain
• तिष्ठ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सुन्दरि: O beautiful one
• सुन्दरि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरर्थक (again)

• प्राप्स्यसि: you will obtain
• प्राप्स्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भर्तारम्: husband
• भर्तारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कामम्: Kāma
• कामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तुष्टेन: by (one who is) pleased
• तुष्टेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; तुष् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• शंभुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Vāk (divine voice)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rati

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disembodied celestial voice addresses the woman on the pyre, commanding her to desist and undertake austerity; the sky glows with divine authority.

Characters & Entities

• Vāk
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Kāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity and steady discipline, not impulsive action, is the dharmic means to obtain divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is the Arbuda region within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa, connected to the Kāmeśvara-Śiva narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is prescribed as the means to please Śiva and attain the desired boon.