Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

विना मंत्रं विना पर्व क्षुरकर्म विना नरैः । कुशाग्रेणापि देवेशि न स्प्रष्टव्यो महोदधिः

Transliteration

vinā maṃtraṃ vinā parva kṣurakarma vinā naraiḥ | kuśāgreṇāpi deveśi na spraṣṭavyo mahodadhiḥ

Translation

Sans mantra, sans le moment approprié de parvan et sans le rite du rasage accompli par les hommes, ô Souveraine des Dieux, qu’on ne touche pas le grand océan, pas même du bout d’un brin de kuśa.

Word by Word

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय (without)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘विना’ योगे

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय (without)

• पर्व: festival/holy occasion
• पर्व: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘विना’ योगे

• क्षुरकर्म: razor-rite; shaving act
• क्षुरकर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुर (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘क्षुरस्य कर्म’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय (without)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• कुशाग्रेण: with the tip of a kuśa grass
• कुशाग्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘कुशस्य अग्रेण’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक अव्यय (even/also)

• देवेशि: O Lady of the gods
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• स्प्रष्टव्यः: to be touched (should be touched)
• स्प्रष्टव्यः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) → स्प्रष्टव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory passive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निषेधेन ‘न स्प्रष्टव्यः’ = ‘must not be touched’

• महोदधिः: the great ocean
• महोदधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘महान् उदधिः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva to Devī (Pārvatī) (deduced from address 'deveśi')

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Samudra (Mahodadhi/Lavaṇodadhi)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A priest holds up a kuśa blade, indicating that even symbolic contact is forbidden without mantra, parva, and kṣura-karma; pilgrims stand respectfully at the waterline.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Pārvatī)
• Mahodadhi (the great ocean)
• Kuśa grass

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred power is approached through discipline; purity, timing, and mantra safeguard the rite’s sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘great ocean’ pertains to the Prabhāsa coastal sacred geography where regulated sea-contact is part of the pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not touch the ocean unless mantra, proper parvan context, and shaving rite have been duly completed.