Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

विष्णुरुवाच । अनंतस्याप्रमेयस्य देवदेवस्य शूलिनः । नाहं शक्तः परं पारं गंतुं ब्रह्मन्कथंचन

Transliteration

viṣṇuruvāca | anaṃtasyāprameyasya devadevasya śūlinaḥ | nāhaṃ śaktaḥ paraṃ pāraṃ gaṃtuṃ brahmankathaṃcana

Translation

ヴィシュヌは言った。「無尽にして測り知れぬ、 देवदेव（神々の神）にして三叉戟を執る御方については、ブラフマーよ、我はいかなる手段をもってしてもその究極の涯に至ることはできぬ。」

Word by Word

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘उवाच’ (said)

• anaṃtasya: of the endless one
• anaṃtasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• aprameyasya: of the immeasurable
• aprameyasya: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aprameya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण

• devadevasya: of the god of gods
• devadevasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—देवानां देवः (of the god of gods)

• śūlinaḥ: of the trident-bearer
• śūlinaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘शूलिन्’ (trident-bearer)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — not

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• śaktaḥ: able
• śaktaḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (कृदन्त, √śak)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण—समर्थः (able)

• param: supreme/farther
• param: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• pāram: the far shore/limit
• pāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• gantum: to reach
• gantum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) — ‘गन्तुम्’ (to go/reach)

• brahman: O Brahmā
• brahman: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — ‘ब्रह्मन्’ (O Brahmā)

• kathaṃcana: in any way
• kathaṃcana: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathaṃcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — कथंचन (in any way/at all)

Speaker

Viṣṇu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn assembly where Viṣṇu, composed and reverent, addresses Brahmā, acknowledging the immeasurable Śūlin; the atmosphere is cosmic, with subtle signs of Śiva’s unseen presence.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā
• Śiva (Śūlin, Devadeva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness expresses itself as humility: Viṣṇu openly acknowledges the immeasurable nature of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the verse glorifies Śiva as Devadeva within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.