Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ततः प्राभासिके क्षेत्रे तपस्तेपे महातपाः । स्थापयामास लिंगं तु तत्र देवस्य शूलिनः

Transliteration

tataḥ prābhāsike kṣetre tapastepe mahātapāḥ | sthāpayāmāsa liṃgaṃ tu tatra devasya śūlinaḥ

Translation

Alors, dans le champ sacré de Prābhāsika, ce grand ascète accomplit des austérités, et là il établit un liṅga du Seigneur porteur du trident.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (Discourse link/प्रसङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (thereupon/from that)

• प्राभासिके: in Prābhāsa-related
• प्राभासिके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राभासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (in Prābhāsika)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• तेपे: performed
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'performed austerity'

• महातपाः: the great ascetic
• महातपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् तपाः)

• स्थापयामास: installed
• स्थापयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → स्थापय्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative 'caused to be established/installed'

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic/contrast particle)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• शूलिनः: of Śūlin (Śiva)
• शूलिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण-नाम (one who has a trident)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yameśvara (liṅga of Śūlin/Śiva established in Prabhāsa by Dharmarāja)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharmarāja, austere and radiant, performs tapas on the sandy/rocky Prabhāsa ground; he installs a Śiva-liṅga with ritual water, bilva leaves, and a trident emblem nearby; the atmosphere is charged with Śiva’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Dharmarāja (Yama)
• Śiva (Śūlin)
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity and devotion culminate in establishing a Śiva-liṅga, showing how sacred geography is created and sanctified through tapas and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Prābhāsika kṣetra), the setting where the liṅga connected with Yameśvara becomes established.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) and liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation of a liṅga) are indicated as the devotional acts.