Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सर्वात्मा सर्वलोकेशो देवदेवः प्रजापतिः । सूर्य एव त्रिलोकस्य मूलं परमदैवतम्

Transliteration

sarvātmā sarvalokeśo devadevaḥ prajāpatiḥ | sūrya eva trilokasya mūlaṃ paramadaivatam

Translation

Sūrya alone is the Self of all, the Lord of all worlds, the God of gods, the Prajāpati; He is the root of the three worlds and the supreme divinity.

Word by Word

• सर्वात्मा: the Self of all
• सर्वात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘सर्व-आत्मा’ = ‘सर्वेषां आत्मा’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सर्वलोकेशः: Lord of all worlds
• सर्वलोकेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सर्व-लोक-ईश’ = ‘सर्वेषां लोकानां ईश्वरः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• देवदेवः: God of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘देव-देव’ = ‘देवानां देवः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रजापतिः: Lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रजा-पति’ = ‘प्रजानां पतिः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात), अवधारणार्थक

• त्रिलोकस्य: of the three worlds
• त्रिलोकस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘त्रि-लोक’ = ‘त्रयाणां लोकानां समाहारः’ (द्विगु-समास)

• मूलम्: root, source
• मूलम्: Kriya-Visheshana (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• परमदैवतम्: the supreme deity
• परमदैवतम्: Kriya-Visheshana (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘परम-दैवत’ = ‘परमं दैवतं’ (कर्मधारय)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, doctrinal praise within Prabhāsa Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Sūrya as Parama-daivatam)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Cosmic iconography: Sūrya enthroned in a radiant mandala, embodying the three worlds; devas and beings orbit in ordered tiers; rays connect to all life, signifying sarvātmatā and triloka-mūlatva.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Prajāpati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Sun is portrayed as the cosmic foundation and supreme divine principle, inviting reverence grounded in universal order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra indirectly, by glorifying its central deity-focus here: Sūrya/Bhāskara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it is a stuti (doctrinal praise) establishing Sūrya’s paramount status.