Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

एवं विप्रा महादेवि पूज्याः सर्वत्र मानवैः । किं पुनः संजितात्मानो विशेषात्क्षेत्रवासिनः

Transliteration

evaṃ viprā mahādevi pūjyāḥ sarvatra mānavaiḥ | kiṃ punaḥ saṃjitātmāno viśeṣātkṣetravāsinaḥ

Translation

ഹേ മഹാദേവി! ഇങ്ങനെ വിപ്രർ എല്ലായിടത്തും മനുഷ്യർ പൂജിക്കേണ്ടവർ. എന്നാൽ ആത്മസംയമമുള്ളവരായി ഈ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്നവർ പ്രത്യേകമായി അത്യധികം പൂജ്യർ.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महादेवि: O Mahādevī
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूज्याः: worthy of worship
• पूज्याः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; √पूज् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण; तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/passive participle sense “to be worshipped”); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place: “everywhere”)

• मानवैः: by men; by people
• मानवैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• किम्: what? (how much more?)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle-like/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम (interrogative)

• पुनः: moreover; then
• पुनः: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्यवाचक (particle: “again; moreover”)

• संजितात्मानः: self-controlled; having conquered the self
• संजितात्मानः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संजित-आत्मन् (कृदन्त+प्रातिपदिक; √जि धातु + आत्मन्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभाव: “conquered-self”); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Sambandha (Ablative of specification/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (in the sense “especially”)

• क्षेत्रवासिनः: residents of the sacred place (kṣetra)
• क्षेत्रवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: “dwelling in the field/holy place”); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (deduced, addressing Mahādevī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī / Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims bowing to austere, self-controlled brāhmaṇas residing near Somnātha; the goddess addressed as Mahādevī listens to Skanda’s instruction; the kṣetra’s sacred aura is palpable.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādevī
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Kṣetravāsin (resident of the sacred field)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Respect is due to brāhmaṇas everywhere, but those practicing self-mastery while living in a holy place deserve heightened honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, emphasized as a kṣetra where residence (vāsa) and discipline amplify sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is detailed; the practical instruction is enhanced reverence toward disciplined kṣetra-residents.