Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

इदमाश्चर्यमेवैकं कथं शक्यं निवेदितुम् । जानीत हि स्वयं सर्वे लोकतः शास्त्रतोऽपि वा

Transliteration

idamāścaryamevaikaṃ kathaṃ śakyaṃ niveditum | jānīta hi svayaṃ sarve lokataḥ śāstrato'pi vā

Translation

«C’est là un prodige unique en vérité : comment l’exposer comme il se doit ? Vous le savez tous par vous-mêmes, soit par la rumeur du monde, soit par les Écritures.»

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• आश्चर्यम्: a wonder
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• एकम्: one, single
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• शक्यम्: possible
• शक्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √शक् धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (potential/fit), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निवेदितुम्: to report/tell
• निवेदितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु) → निवेदितुम् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-अन्त (Infinitive)

• जानीत: know (you all)
• जानीत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• स्वयम्: by yourselves
• स्वयम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive adverb)

• सर्वे: all (of you)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लोकतः: from common report / from the world
• लोकतः: Hetu/Source (Ablative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• शास्त्रतः: from scripture
• शास्त्रतः: Hetu/Source (Ablative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-अव्यय (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

King (rājā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly assembly at Prabhāsa: the speaker gestures in wonder, admitting the marvel is beyond full telling; listeners nod, recalling both scripture and popular fame.

Characters & Entities

• rājā
• śāstra
• loka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma values both śāstric authority and experienced tradition when interpreting extraordinary events.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative context is the Prabhāsa region’s Vastrāpathakṣetra, whose greatness is being unfolded through wondrous events.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse frames an inquiry grounded in śāstra and loka (scriptural and traditional knowledge).