Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

एवं क्षेत्रे निवसतः प्रभासे बालरूपिणः । परार्द्धमेकमगमद्द्वितीयं वर्ततेऽ धुना

Transliteration

evaṃ kṣetre nivasataḥ prabhāse bālarūpiṇaḥ | parārddhamekamagamaddvitīyaṃ vartate' dhunā

Translation

Thus, while (the Lord) dwelt in the sacred field of Prabhāsa in a child-like form, one parārdha elapsed; and now the second is in progress.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• निवसतः: (they) dwell
• निवसतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: वस् (to dwell) उपसर्ग: नि

• प्रभासे: in Prabhāsa
• प्रभासे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• बालरूपिणः: having the form of a child
• बालरूपिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the dwellers)

• परार्द्धम्: a para-ardha (a vast time-span)
• परार्द्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परार्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• अगमत्: passed/elapsed
• अगमत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Past); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्वितीयम्: the second
• द्वितीयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• वर्तते: continues/remains
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: “now”)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youthful Brahmā (childlike, serene) seated near the Prabhāsa shore, with a small lotus and rosary; behind him a vast hourglass/kalpa-wheel indicating one parārdha completed and the second unfolding; Somnātha temple faintly present as eternal witness.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is measured not by human years but by cosmic ages; Prabhāsa is depicted as enduring across immeasurable time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, the holy region of Somnātha, is directly referenced.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes duration and sanctity through cosmic chronology.