Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । देवदेव जगन्नाथ क्षेत्रतीर्थमय प्रभो । प्रभासक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यं विस्तरात्कथयस्व मे

Transliteration

devyuvāca | devadeva jagannātha kṣetratīrthamaya prabho | prabhāsakṣetramāhātmyaṃ vistarātkathayasva me

Translation

The Goddess said: O God of gods, Lord of the universe, O Master who embodies all kṣetras and tīrthas—tell me in detail the greatness (māhātmya) of Prabhāsa kṣetra.

Word by Word

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• देवदेव: O god of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (देवानां देवः)

• जगन्नाथ: O lord of the world
• जगन्नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जगतः नाथः)

• क्षेत्रतीर्थमय: O one filled with holy fields and tīrthas
• क्षेत्रतीर्थमय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्र + तीर्थ + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (क्षेत्र-तीर्थैः मयः = filled with sacred places and tīrthas)

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

• प्रभासक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्: the greatness of the Prabhāsa sacred field
• प्रभासक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास + क्षेत्र + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रभासक्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यम्)

• विस्तरात्: in detail
• विस्तरात्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial) अर्थे; ‘विस्तरेण/विस्तरात्’ = in detail

• कथयस्व: tell (please)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; णिजन्त from कथ्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

Speaker

Devī (Satī/Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaṅkara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī Satī offers a reverent address to Śiva—‘Devadeva, Jagannātha’—requesting an expansive narration of Prabhāsa’s greatness; the scene radiates devotion and wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Devī Satī
• Śiva (Devadeva, Jagannātha)
• Prabhāsa
• Kṣetra
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeking detailed understanding of a holy place’s Māhātmya is itself a devotional act that deepens faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa kṣetra is explicitly named and requested to be described in detail.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an invitation to extended Māhātmya narration.