Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

शांतास्तपस्विनः सर्वे वेदविद्याविशारदाः । तेषामीहितमाज्ञाय सम्यक्कामनिषूदनः

Transliteration

śāṃtāstapasvinaḥ sarve vedavidyāviśāradāḥ | teṣāmīhitamājñāya samyakkāmaniṣūdanaḥ

Translation

Tous étaient des ascètes paisibles, experts des Veda et des sciences sacrées. Ayant compris avec justesse leur intention, Kāmaniṣūdana —le Destructeur du désir— répondit en conséquence.

Word by Word

• शान्ताः: calm
• शान्ताः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शम् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (pacified, calm)

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; -इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (ascetics)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• वेदविद्याविशारदाः: expert in Vedic knowledge
• वेदविद्याविशारदाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वेदविद्यायां विशारदाः = skilled in Vedic learning)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• ईहितम्: intention, wish
• ईहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ईह् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, 'desired/intended (thing)'

• आज्ञाय: having known
• आज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√ज्ञा (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having known'

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (properly)

• कामनिषूदनः: the destroyer of Kāma (Śiva)
• कामनिषूदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + निषूदन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि√सूद् + ल्युट्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कामान् निषूदयति इति = destroyer of Kāma/desires)

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-tapasthāna (contextual)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembly of ṛṣis / or king addressed as nṛpaśreṣṭha in nearby verses (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of serene, matted-haired sages seated in meditation on a mountain hermitage; an unseen Śiva-presence implied by a subtle liṅga-glow, as the Lord ‘knows their intention’.

Characters & Entities

• Sages (Munis)
• Veda
• Kāmaniṣūdana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When seekers become calm, disciplined, and sincere, the divine recognizes their intention and grants an appropriate response or blessing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Koṭīśvara/Arbuda sacred setting, where the sages’ intentions and divine intervention form the core of the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly tapas (austerity) and disciplined conduct; the verse highlights qualifications (śānti, tapas, Vedic learning) rather than a single rite.