Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

स्मृतमात्रो विश्वकर्मा प्रांजलिश्चाग्रतः स्थितः । आज्ञापयतु मां देवो वचनं करवाणि ते

Transliteration

smṛtamātro viśvakarmā prāṃjaliścāgrataḥ sthitaḥ | ājñāpayatu māṃ devo vacanaṃ karavāṇi te

Translation

À peine fut-il évoqué que Viśvakarmā apparut aussitôt, se tenant devant Lui les mains jointes, et dit : «Que le Seigneur m’ordonne ; quelle est ta parole que je dois accomplir ?»

Word by Word

• स्मृतमात्रः: (appearing) at mere remembrance
• स्मृतमात्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of विश्वकर्मा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त; √स्मृ) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्मृतः मात्रः = merely remembered/at the mere remembrance)

• विश्वकर्मा: Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्मा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (proper name)

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of विश्वकर्मा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (hands folded)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction: and)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: in front)

• स्थितः: stood
• स्थितः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective of विश्वकर्मा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; “standing”

• आज्ञापयतु: may (he) command
• आज्ञापयतु: Kriyā (Imperative request)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ज्ञा (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person) एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object of आज्ञापयतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd/accusative) एकवचन

• देवः: the Lord
• देवः: Karta (Subject of आज्ञापयतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• वचनम्: the command/word
• वचनम्: Karma (Object of करवाणि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• करवाणि: let me do/perform
• करवाणि: Kriyā (Volitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative; self-directed/volitive); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person) एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

Speaker

Viśvakarmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvakarmā manifests instantly before Śiva, hands folded, requesting the command; tools of craft subtly indicate his mastery.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarmā
• Deva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True service (sevā) is marked by humility and readiness to execute dharmic instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where divine acts of planning and sanctification unfold.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is stated; the emphasis is on prompt, reverent compliance with divine command.