Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अमृतेनोदरस्थेन म्रियन्ते सर्वदेवताः । कंठस्थित विषेणापि यो जीवति स पातुः वः

Transliteration

amṛtenodarasthena mriyante sarvadevatāḥ | kaṃṭhasthita viṣeṇāpi yo jīvati sa pātuḥ vaḥ

Translation

അമൃതം ഉദരത്തിൽ തന്നെ അടഞ്ഞുകിടന്നാൽ എല്ലാ ദേവന്മാരും നശിക്കും; എന്നാൽ കണ്ഠത്തിൽ വിഷം നിലകൊണ്ടിട്ടും ജീവിക്കുന്നവൻ—അവൻ നിങ്ങളെ കാത്തുരക്ഷിക്കട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• अमृतेन: by nectar
• अमृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with nectar)

• उदरस्थेन: (that) situated in the belly
• उदरस्थेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदर-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; स्थ = √स्था (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणार्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अमृतेन) सह विशेषणम्; Instrumental singular (being in the belly)

• म्रियन्ते: die
• म्रियन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; Present indicative, 3rd person plural (they die)

• सर्वदेवताः: all the deities
• सर्वदेवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (all deities)

• कण्ठस्थित: situated in the throat
• कण्ठस्थित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कण्ठ-स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; स्थित = √स्था (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विषेण) सह विशेषणम्; (that) situated in the throat

• विषेण: by poison
• विषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by poison)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); concessive/emphatic 'even/also'

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, nominative singular (who)

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; Present indicative, 3rd person singular (lives)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Demonstrative pronoun, nominative singular (he)

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; Imperative/benedictive sense, 3rd person singular (may he protect)

• वः: you (all)
• वः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; enclitic; Genitive/Dative plural (of you / to you)

Speaker

Vyāsa (invocatory praise within the chapter opening)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Someśvara as Nīlakaṇṭha archetype)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience / later Naimiṣeya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vivid Nīlakaṇṭha image: Śiva with blue throat, calm face, holding the cosmic poison; devas appear relieved; the contrast of amṛta and viṣa is shown symbolically—nectar contained vs poison borne openly—ending with a protective benediction over devotees.

Characters & Entities

• Devas (gods)
• Śiva (implied as Nīlakaṇṭha)
• Amṛta (nectar)
• Viṣa (poison)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s life-sustaining compassion is celebrated: He bears poison for the welfare of the cosmos, becoming a natural refuge and protector.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It serves as an auspicious preface to the Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, praising the Lord whose presence sanctifies the pilgrimage terrain.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a protective benediction (pātu vaḥ) appropriate for recitation at the start of sacred narration.