Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एवं कृत्वा विधानं तु स्पर्शयेल्लवणोदधिम् । मन्त्रेणानेन देवेशि ततः सांनिध्यतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

evaṃ kṛtvā vidhānaṃ tu sparśayellavaṇodadhim | mantreṇānena deveśi tataḥ sāṃnidhyatāṃ vrajet

Translation

かくして定めの作法を成し終えたなら、塩の大海に触れるべし。この真言によって、ああ神々の女主よ、ついにサーンニディヤ（神聖なる近接）に至る。

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (manner adverb): ‘thus’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having done’

• विधानम्: procedure; rite; arrangement
• विधानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): contrast/emphasis

• स्पर्शयेत्: should touch
• स्पर्शयेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लवण-उदधिम्: the salt ocean; sea
• लवण-उदधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लवणस्य उदधिः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्त्रेण: by (means of) a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun): ‘with this’

• देवेशि: O goddess (lady of the gods)
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (sequence adverb): ‘then; thereafter’

• सांनिध्यताम्: to (divine) presence; proximity
• सांनिध्यताम्: Gati/Prāpti-karman (Goal/गत्यर्थकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः लक्ष्य (goal)

• व्रजेत्: should go; should proceed
• व्रजेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Śiva to Devī (Pārvatī) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Lavaṇodadhi-sparśa

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After completing offerings, the devotee touches the ocean with reverence while chanting; a subtle divine radiance suggests sāṃnidhya, with the coastline and temple silhouette behind.

Characters & Entities

• Lavaṇodadhi (salt ocean)
• Sāṃnidhya (divine proximity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right action plus right mantra transforms a physical act (touching the sea) into communion with the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The lavaṇodadhi at Prabhāsa, approached through a complete ritual sequence culminating in mantra-recitation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Complete the vidhi, then touch the sea while reciting the specified mantra to obtain sāṃnidhya.