Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

डिंडिरूप धरो भूत्वा रुद्रः प्राह तपोधनान् । यन्मया भवतां कार्यं कर्तव्यं तदिहोच्यताम्

Transliteration

ḍiṃḍirūpa dharo bhūtvā rudraḥ prāha tapodhanān | yanmayā bhavatāṃ kāryaṃ kartavyaṃ tadihocyatām

Translation

Ayant pris la forme de Ḍiṃḍi, Rudra s’adressa aux sages riches d’austérités : «Quelle que soit la tâche que vous ayez pour moi, ce qui doit être accompli, dites-le ici».

Word by Word

• ḍiṃḍi-rūpaḥ: having the form of a ḍiṃḍi (drum-like form)
• ḍiṃḍi-rūpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ḍiṃḍi (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ḍiṃḍeḥ rūpam)

• dharaḥ: bearing, holding
• dharaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• prāha: said, spoke
• prāha: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• tapo-dhanān: the ascetics rich in austerity
• tapo-dhanān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (tapas eva dhanam yeṣām)

• yat: whatever (that which)
• yat: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• bhavatām: of you (honored ones)
• bhavatām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक

• kāryam: a task, what is to be done
• kāryam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• kartavyam: to be done, obligatory
• kartavyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kartavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive)

• tat: that
• tat: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• ucyatām: let it be stated
• ucyatām: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Rudra (Śiva), in Ḍiṃḍi-form

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Unnata context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rudra in Ḍiṃḍi-form addresses the tapodhana sages, asking them to state their needed task; the sages sit in a semicircle with ascetic radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Tapodhanas (ascetics)
• Ḍiṃḍi (form-name)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a sanctified kṣetra, the Lord becomes approachable; divine grace invites devotees to articulate their dhārmic aim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, specifically the Unnata/Ḍiṃḍi-associated locale where Rudra addresses the sages.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse frames a boon-granting dialogue that may lead to prescriptions later.