Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

शिव उवाच । शृणु यत्कारणं तत्र तेषां तव तपस्विनाम् । व्रतचर्याप्तये विप्राः पूजयन्त्यधिकं हि ते

Transliteration

śiva uvāca | śṛṇu yatkāraṇaṃ tatra teṣāṃ tava tapasvinām | vratacaryāptaye viprāḥ pūjayantyadhikaṃ hi te

Translation

Śiva dit : «Écoute la raison de cela, au sujet des ascètes qui se trouvent là. Afin d’achever leurs observances (vrata), les brāhmaṇas les honorent par un culte et des offrandes plus abondants que les tiens.»

Word by Word

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• कारणम्: reason, cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तव: of you, your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपस्विनाम्: of the ascetics
• तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• व्रतचर्या-आप्तये: for the attainment of observance/practice of vows
• व्रतचर्या-आप्तये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतचर्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of)

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पूजयन्ति: worship, honor
• पूजयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• अधिकम्: more, greatly
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: more, greatly)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Maṃki

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva explains to Maṃki that other ascetics are worshipped more abundantly by brāhmaṇas to complete their vows; the scene includes brāhmaṇas preparing offerings near a shrine while ascetics observe restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Vipras (brāhmaṇas)
• Tapasvins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva emphasizes that disciplined observance (vrata-caryā) includes appropriate, complete worship—practice must match intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a place where proper vrata and pūjā yield powerful results.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata-caryā (observance/discipline) supported by fuller pūjā (more complete offerings and honours).