Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

संहृत्य निखिलं शेते ययाऽसौ कलया स्वराट् । तदापि न वियुज्येत त्वया विश्वपतिः प्रभुः

Transliteration

saṃhṛtya nikhilaṃ śete yayā'sau kalayā svarāṭ | tadāpi na viyujyeta tvayā viśvapatiḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

Having withdrawn the entire universe, the Sovereign rests by that very portion of power (kalā). Even then, the Lord—Master of the universe—does not become separated from you.

Word by Word

• saṃhṛtya: having withdrawn (everything)
• saṃhṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √hṛ (धातु) उपसर्गः सम्; ल्यप् (absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having withdrawn/collected’

• nikhilam: the whole (universe)
• nikhilam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• śete: lies; rests
• śete: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śī (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yayā: by which (power)
• yayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• asau: that (he)
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kalayā: by a portion; by an aspect
• kalayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• svarāṭ: the self-ruler; sovereign
• svarāṭ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarāṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tadāpi: even then
• tadāpi: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययसमूह: तदा (then) + अपि (even/also)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• viyujyeta: would be separated
• viyujyeta: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (धातु) उपसर्गः वि
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; प्रयोगः—न वियुज्येत (should not be separated)

• tvayā: from you; by you
• tvayā: Apādāna/Instrumental of separation (वियोगे तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/पुं (pronoun), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• viśvapatiḥ: lord of the universe
• viśvapatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): विश्वस्य पतिः

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā / Prabhāsa (conceptual linkage)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Cosmic ocean at pralaya: the Lord as sovereign resting (yoga-nidrā) supported by śakti’s kalā; Devī present as luminous power, not separate—depicted as an aura or companion form; Nārada as witness-teacher at the shore of time.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Kṛṣṇa (Lord of the universe)
• Rukmiṇī (inseparable Śakti)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord and his Śakti are eternally inseparable; therefore, apparent separation in līlā should not be mistaken for ultimate reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s greatness is reinforced by presenting its divine couple as cosmic principles—Lord of the universe and inseparable Śakti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the shloka emphasizes metaphysical reassurance rather than a rite.