Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 128

Devanagari script

प्रसादयामास स तं गौरवात्परमेष्ठिनः । तेऽदृश्यं नैव जानंति रुद्रं तत्रागतं सुराः

Transliteration

prasādayāmāsa sa taṃ gauravātparameṣṭhinaḥ | te'dṛśyaṃ naiva jānaṃti rudraṃ tatrāgataṃ surāḥ

Translation

Par révérence envers le Seigneur suprême (Brahmā), il s’efforça de l’apaiser ; et les dieux présents ne reconnurent nullement Rudra venu là, car il demeurait invisible.

Word by Word

• प्रसादयामास: appeased, propitiated
• प्रसादयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सद् (धातु √सद्) causative प्रसादयति
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन = Perfect, 3rd person singular; causative stem

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular (pronoun)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Masculine, Accusative, Singular (pronoun)

• गौरवात्: out of respect
• गौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Ablative Singular; हेत्वर्थे (because of)

• परमेष्ठिनः: of the Supreme Lord (Parameṣṭhin/Brahmā)
• परमेष्ठिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Plural (pronoun)

• अदृश्यम्: the invisible (one/state)
• अदृश्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative, Singular; कर्मरूपेण (object)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) = negation particle

• एव: indeed, at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) = emphatic particle

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु √ज्ञा)
• Form: लट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन = Present, 3rd person plural (active)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = locative adverb

• आगतम्: having come, arrived
• आगतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु √गम्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = past participle, Masculine Accusative Singular (agreeing with रुद्रम्)

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa context; likely Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā (or the mediator figure) stands in reverent posture, hands joined, addressing a fierce presence that is suggested only by aura—flames, trident-shadow, or a void-like silhouette—while surrounding devas look confused, scanning the space.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Parameṣṭhin)
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine may be present yet unseen; humility and reverence are required to recognize higher realities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Vastrāpathakṣetra is the setting for this episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated directly; the verse underscores devotional attitude and divine presence.