Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 138

Devanagari script

मन्वतरेष्वतीतेषु चैवमासीद्वसुन्धरा । स्वभावेनाभवत्तस्याः समानि विषमाणि च

Transliteration

manvatareṣvatīteṣu caivamāsīdvasundharā | svabhāvenābhavattasyāḥ samāni viṣamāṇi ca

Translation

“Pada Manvantara-Manvantara yang telah berlalu, Bumi memang demikian adanya: menurut kodratnya sendiri, ia memiliki hamparan yang rata dan juga wilayah yang tidak rata.”

Word by Word

• मन्वतरेषु: in (past) manvantaras
• मन्वतरेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अतीतेषु: having passed; past
• अतीतेषु: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति+इ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past active participle/क्तवतु-प्राय), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘अतीत’ = gone by

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एवम्: thus; in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• वसुन्धरा: the earth
• वसुन्धरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वभावेन: by (its) nature
• स्वभावेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभवत्: became; came to be
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्याः: of her; of it (the earth)
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• समानि: level; even (parts)
• समानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विषमाणि: uneven (parts)
• विषमाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) as narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative cosmic tableau: Earth shown with alternating plains and rugged regions, while subtle bands or wheels indicate passing Manvantaras—time layered over geography.

Characters & Entities

• Vasundharā (Earth)
• Manvantara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The world’s diversity is part of cosmic order; dharma works with nature’s tendencies while guiding them toward welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Māhātmya’s frame is Prabhāsa-kṣetra; this cosmological note supports the sanctity of the region by embedding it in primordial history.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.