Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रं पवित्रमाज्ञाय तत्र स्थाने स्थिता शुभा । सोमेशादीशकोणस्था सौरीशादुत्तरे स्थिता

Transliteration

kṣetraṃ pavitramājñāya tatra sthāne sthitā śubhā | someśādīśakoṇasthā saurīśāduttare sthitā

Translation

Sachant que ce kṣetra est sacré, la Déesse de bon augure demeura établie en ce lieu même—dans le quartier d’Īśāna par rapport à Someśa, et au nord de Saurīśa.

Word by Word

• kṣetram: the sacred place/field
• kṣetram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pavitram: pure, holy
• pavitram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pavitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of kṣetram)

• ājñāya: having known
• ājñāya: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jñā (धातु) उपसर्ग-आ (आ+ज्ञा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): "having known/understood"

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

• sthāne: in the place
• sthāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• sthitā: stood, remained
• sthitā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• śubhā: auspicious
• śubhā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of the goddess implied)

• someśāt: from Someśa
• someśāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: someśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• īśa: Īśa (Lord)
• īśa: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद) प्रातिपदिक-रूप

• koṇa-sthā: situated at the corner
• koṇa-sthā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: koṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sthā (धातु) → sthā (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (locative determinative: "standing in the corner"); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• saurīśāt: from Saurīśa
• saurīśāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saurīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• uttare: in the north
• uttare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (directional locative: "to the north")

• sthitā: stood, remained
• sthitā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (implied, addressing Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Someśa–Saurīśa axis)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Māhātmya audience seeking tīrtha-topography

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm, auspicious Devī establishes herself at a sanctified spot in Prabhāsa; in the background, two shrines—Someśa and Saurīśa—serve as landmarks; the composition emphasizes the northeast quarter and orderly sacred layout.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Someśa
• Saurīśa
• Īśāna (northeast quarter)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is sanctified not only by mythic events but by enduring divine presence anchored in sacred geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, with internal directional markers relative to Someśa and Saurīśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse provides pilgrimage-style location guidance within the kṣetra.