Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु लग्नकाल उपस्थिते । आदिष्टं शोभनं कालं ब्राह्मणैर्दैवचिन्तकैः

Transliteration

etasminneva kāle tu lagnakāla upasthite | ādiṣṭaṃ śobhanaṃ kālaṃ brāhmaṇairdaivacintakaiḥ

Translation

En cet instant même, lorsque l’heure propice (lagna) fut arrivée, les brahmanes versés dans les présages sacrés proclamèrent que le temps était favorable.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• लग्नकालः: the auspicious moment (lagna-time)
• लग्नकालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लग्न (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—लग्नः कालः (कर्मधारयः)

• उपस्थिते: having arrived / being present
• उपस्थिते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु) → उपस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘when (it) had arrived’; सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध (locative absolute with काले)

• आदिष्टम्: was prescribed/indicated
• आदिष्टम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दिश् (धातु) → आदिष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘was indicated/appointed’

• शोभनम्: auspicious
• शोभनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कालयम्)

• कालम्: time/moment
• कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• दैवचिन्तकैः: by astrologers/diviners
• दैवचिन्तकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक) + चिन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—दैवस्य चिन्तकाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual assembly in Prabhāsa: learned brāhmaṇas/daiva-cintakas indicate the auspicious lagna, gesturing toward a prepared altar and the horizon’s favorable signs.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Lagna-kāla (auspicious time)
• Daiva-cintaka (omen-readers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values right action performed at the right time—rituals are aligned with auspiciousness as part of ordered sacred practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing narrative remains within Prabhāsa Kṣetra’s sacred setting, though this verse focuses on ritual timing rather than naming a new tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Selection/affirmation of a favorable ritual time (śobhana-kāla) by qualified Brahmins and daiva-cintakas.