Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

स एवं चिन्तयामास वेदवेदांगपारगः । मानसं यज्ञमारभ्य तत्रैव वरवर्णिनि

Transliteration

sa evaṃ cintayāmāsa vedavedāṃgapāragaḥ | mānasaṃ yajñamārabhya tatraiva varavarṇini

Translation

Ainsi le brāhmaṇa, versé dans les Veda et leurs auxiliaires, réfléchit en son for intérieur ; et là même, ô dame au teint gracieux, il entreprit un sacrifice mental, un yajña de l’esprit.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• चिन्तयामास: reflected
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: knower of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + वेदाङ्ग + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वेदेषु वेदाङ्गेषु च पारगः = master of Veda and Vedāṅgas)

• मानसम्: mental (in the mind)
• मानसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (of यज्ञम्)

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• आरभ्य: having begun
• आरभ्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + रभ् (धातु) → आरभ्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive, ल्यप्); पूर्वक्रिया (having begun)

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• वरवर्णिनि: O fair-complexioned lady
• वरवर्णिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरवर्णिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वरा वर्णा यस्याः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (deduced from surrounding verses in this adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A 'varavarṇinī' (fair-complexioned lady) is directly addressed in the verse; broader audience is the listening assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Veda- and Vedāṅga-versed brāhmaṇa, trapped or stationed in a well, begins a mental yajña—an inner altar formed by concentration—while addressing context includes a woman interlocutor in the narration.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Veda
• Vedāṅga
• mānasa-yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even without external resources, sincere inner worship—performed as a mental yajña—has real spiritual efficacy when grounded in Vedic understanding and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The commencement of a mānasa-yajña (mental sacrifice), emphasizing intention and devotion as a valid form of worship.