Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

एकैवात्र प्रकर्त्तव्या श्रद्धा वाऽव्यभिचारिणी । यश्च श्रद्धान्वितः सम्यक्पदमेतन्मुनीश्वराः

Transliteration

ekaivātra prakarttavyā śraddhā vā'vyabhicāriṇī | yaśca śraddhānvitaḥ samyakpadametanmunīśvarāḥ

Translation

ഇവിടെ ചെയ്യേണ്ടത് ഒന്നേ ഉള്ളൂ—വ്യഭിചാരമില്ലാത്ത, അചഞ്ചലമായ ശ്രദ്ധ. ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ യഥാവിധി ഈ പദത്തെ സമീപിക്കുന്നവൻ, ഹേ മുനീശ്വരന്മാരേ…

Word by Word

• एका: one
• एका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with ‘श्रद्धा’)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्ययम् (adverb of place: here)

• प्रकर्तव्या: to be performed
• प्रकर्तव्या: Vidhana (Predicate qualifier/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्—‘कर्तव्या’ (to be done)

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचनम् (nominative singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle: or)

• अव्यभिचारिणी: unwavering
• अव्यभिचारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyabhicārinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नञ्-पूर्वक विशेषणम् (non-deviating/steadfast)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun: who)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्ययम् (and)

• श्रद्धान्वितः: endowed with faith
• श्रद्धान्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śraddhā-anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (श्रद्धया अन्वितः) (endowed with faith)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (properly, correctly)

• पदम्: the place/footstep
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम् (accusative singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with ‘पदम्’)

• मुनीश्वराः: O lords of sages
• मुनीश्वराः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (मुनीनां ईश्वराः = chief among sages)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāpada

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Munīśvaras (chief sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, intimate focus: a sage with composed face and folded hands stands before the Mahāpada; the glow is subtle, emphasizing inner faith rather than spectacle.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Mahāpada
• Ṛṣayaḥ (munīśvarāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śraddhā (steady faith) is presented as the essential prerequisite for receiving tīrtha-grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘padam’—Brahmā’s Mahāpada—whose efficacy is activated through faith.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is internal and foundational: maintain unwavering faith while approaching the sacred mark.