Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

के मंत्राः किं विधानं तत्कस्मिन्काले महत्फलम् । किं पुराभूच्च तद्वृत्तं भगवन्कंकणाश्रितम्

Transliteration

ke maṃtrāḥ kiṃ vidhānaṃ tatkasminkāle mahatphalam | kiṃ purābhūcca tadvṛttaṃ bhagavankaṃkaṇāśritam

Translation

“Which mantras are to be recited, what is the rite, and at what time does it yield great fruit? And what ancient account is connected with that kankaṇa, O Blessed Lord?”

Word by Word

• के: which/what (plural)
• के: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• विधानम्: procedure/rite
• विधानम्: Karta/Karma (Contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anaphoric (Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• काले: time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• महत्-फलम्: great fruit/result
• महत्-फलम्: Karta/Karma (Contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महत् फलम्)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Modifier (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अभूत्: happened/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘वृत्तम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वृत्तम्: account/incident
• वृत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• कंकण-आश्रितम्: connected with the bracelet
• कंकण-आश्रितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कंकण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रित (कृदन्त; आ-श्रि धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘आश्रित’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कंकणम् आश्रितम्)

Speaker

Devī (Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-samudra-tīrtha (kankaṇa-rite context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhagavān (Śiva/Īśvara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī continues her detailed questioning: scroll-like enumeration of ‘mantra, vidhi, kāla, phala’; Śiva poised to narrate an ancient account; the sea remains as backdrop, emphasizing liminality.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Īśvara (Śiva)
• kaṃkaṇa
• mantra
• vidhāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma integrates mantra, method, timing, and sacred history; correct context completes the spiritual act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The question pertains to Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s sea-tīrtha tradition, to be explained by Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A rite involving kaṃkaṇa is implied, with interest in its mantras, vidhāna (procedure), and auspicious timing.