Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

मेने सिद्धिं परां प्राप्तो हर्षान्नृत्यमथाकरोत् । तस्मिन्संनृत्यमाने च जगत्स्थावरजंगमम्

Transliteration

mene siddhiṃ parāṃ prāpto harṣānnṛtyamathākarot | tasminsaṃnṛtyamāne ca jagatsthāvarajaṃgamam

Translation

He thought he had attained the supreme siddhi, and in his joy he began to dance. As he danced, the whole world—both the unmoving and the moving—was affected.

Word by Word

• मेने: he thought/considered
• मेने: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सिद्धिम्: success, attainment
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सिद्धिम्)

• प्राप्तः: having obtained
• प्राप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘having obtained/obtained’

• हर्षात्: from joy
• हर्षात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (cause)

• नृत्यम्: dance
• नृत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector (अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमार्थक

• अकरोत्: he did, performed
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मिन्: in/when that (was happening)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सं-नृत्यमाने: while (he) was dancing
• सं-नृत्यमाने: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-नृत् (धातु) → नृत्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, शतृ/लट्-कर्तरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शतृ-प्रत्यय (present participle)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• जगत्-स्थावर-जङ्गमम्: the world of immovables and movables
• जगत्-स्थावर-जङ्गमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक) + जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (स्थावरं च जङ्गमं च) ततः जगत् इति उपपद/विशेषणपूर्वपद

Speaker

Śiva (deduced: continuing narration to Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A siddha-like sage, intoxicated by perceived supreme attainment, begins a powerful dance; the vibration spreads outward, subtly animating all beings—trees, animals, humans—hinting at impending cosmic imbalance.

Characters & Entities

• Maṅkaṇaka (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mistaking a sign for final perfection can produce ego; uncontrolled spiritual power can disturb harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The story functions within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya framework, grounding cosmic events in sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse warns implicitly against ungoverned display of power rather than teaching a rite.