Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

युवयोर्हस्तसंस्पर्शान्नक्तमेवास्तु सर्वशः । नक्तं चैव बलीयांसौ दिवा नातिबलावुभौ । पुत्रवद्रक्षतं लोकान्धर्मश्चैवानुपाल्यताम्

Transliteration

yuvayorhastasaṃsparśānnaktamevāstu sarvaśaḥ | naktaṃ caiva balīyāṃsau divā nātibalāvubhau | putravadrakṣataṃ lokāndharmaścaivānupālyatām

Translation

汝ら二人の手の触れ合いによって、あまねく夜とならしめよ。まことに夜には汝らはより強大となり、昼には過度に強くあってはならぬ。諸世界をわが子のごとく守護し、ダルマ（法）を正しく護持せよ。

Word by Word

• युवयोः: of you two
• युवयोः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युव (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन (genitive dual: “of you two”)

• हस्त: hand
• हस्त: Compound member
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• संस्पर्शात्: from (the) contact
• संस्पर्शात्: Apādāna (Source/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (ablative: “from contact”)

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (at night)

• एव: only; indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriyā (Injunctive/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वशः: in every way
• सर्वशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक (in every way/entirely)

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• बलीयांसौ: (you two are) stronger
• बलीयांसौ: Karta-anvaya (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; तुलनात्मक-प्रत्यय (comparative: “stronger”)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (by day)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• अतिबलौ: very strong
• अतिबलौ: Karta-anvaya (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; उपसर्ग-समास (ati+balá: “very strong”)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (Subject, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• पुत्रवत्: like (one’s) son
• पुत्रवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुत्रवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle: “like a son”)

• रक्षतम्: protect (you two)
• रक्षतम्: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकान्: worlds; people
• लोकान्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• धर्मः: dharma; righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• अनुपाल्यताम्: let (it) be duly observed
• अनुपाल्यताम्: Kriyā (Command, passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + √पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ); कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (let it be observed)

Speaker

Śiva (issuing a boon/command; deduced from previous verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva pronounces a boon-ordinance: by the touch of two beings’ hands, night spreads; they are strong at night, moderated by day; they are commanded to protect the worlds like sons and uphold dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power must be bounded and redirected toward protection; true strength is measured by upholding dharma and safeguarding the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, whose māhātmya depicts Śiva’s governance that preserves cosmic and social order around the sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is a dharmic injunction and limitation (night/day strength) given as a boon-command.