Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

हृदादिद्वादशांतस्थं प्राणापानोदयास्तगम् । अग्राह्यमिन्द्रियात्मानं निष्कलंकात्मकं विभुम्

Transliteration

hṛdādidvādaśāṃtasthaṃ prāṇāpānodayāstagam | agrāhyamindriyātmānaṃ niṣkalaṃkātmakaṃ vibhum

Translation

Abiding in the subtle ‘twelfth end’ beginning from the heart, He is the rise and the setting of prāṇa and apāna. Ungraspable by the senses, He is the inner Ātman of the faculties—spotless in essence and all-pervading.

Word by Word

• hṛdādi-dvādaśānta-stham: situated in the twelvefold end beginning with the heart
• hṛdādi-dvādaśānta-stham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (धातु/कृदन्त; √sthā)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘हृदादि-द्वादश-अन्ते स्थितम्’ इति; कृदन्त-विशेषण (स्थ)

• prāṇa-apāna-udaya-asta-gam: moving with the rise and setting of prāṇa and apāna
• prāṇa-apāna-udaya-asta-gam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + apāna (प्रातिपदिक) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक) + asta (प्रातिपदिक) + gam (धातु/कृदन्त; √gam)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘प्राणापानयोः उदय-अस्तयोः गमनम्/गतिमत्’ इति; कृदन्त (गम)

• agrāhyam: not graspable
• agrāhyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + grāhya (कृदन्त; √grah)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेधपूर्वक कृदन्त-विशेषण — ‘ग्राह्य’ (to be grasped) इत्यस्य निषेधः

• indriya-ātmānam: the Self of the senses
• indriya-ātmānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘इन्द्रियाणाम् आत्मा’ इति; कर्मपद

• niṣkalaṅka-ātmakam: of stainless nature
• niṣkalaṅka-ātmakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣkalaṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय) — ‘निष्कलङ्कः आत्मा यस्य/यः’ इति; विशेषण

• vibhum: the all-pervading Lord
• vibhum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य/कर्मपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa—Someśvara/Somnatha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin before the liṅga visualizes a luminous channel from heart upward to a subtle point (dvādaśānta); prāṇa and apāna are shown as two currents meeting and dissolving into a spotless white radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Prāṇa
• Apāna
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is realized not by the senses but in subtle yogic awareness, as the pure, all-pervading Self.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a place where Sadāśiva is known through inner yogic insight.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external ritual; the verse points to contemplative yoga involving awareness of prāṇa and apāna.