Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

प्रसूता विश्वकर्माणं सर्वशिल्पवतां वरम् । स चैव नाम्ना त्वष्टा तु पुनस्त्रिदशवार्द्धकिः

Transliteration

prasūtā viśvakarmāṇaṃ sarvaśilpavatāṃ varam | sa caiva nāmnā tvaṣṭā tu punastridaśavārddhakiḥ

Translation

അവൾ വിശ്വകർമ്മാവിനെ പ്രസവിച്ചു; അവൻ സർവ്വ ശില്പികളിലും ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ. അവൻ ‘ത്വഷ്ടാ’ എന്ന നാമത്താലും ദേവന്മാരുടെ ദിവ്യ ശില്പിയായും പ്രസിദ്ധനാണ്.

Word by Word

• प्रसूता: gave birth (having borne)
• प्रसूता: Kriya (verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रसूता (कृदन्त; √सू धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — 'having given birth' (used predicatively)

• विश्वकर्माणम्: Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'Viśvakarman'

• सर्वशिल्पवताम्: of all skilled artisans
• सर्वशिल्पवताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + शिल्पवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां शिल्पवताम्) — 'of all artisans/possessors of crafts'

• वरम्: the best
• वरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण — 'best/excellent' (qualifying विश्वकर्माणम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'he'

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction) — 'and'

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात — 'indeed/just'

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — 'by name'

• त्वष्टा: Tvaṣṭṛ
• त्वष्टा: Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'Tvaṣṭṛ'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — 'but/indeed'

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — 'again/further'

• त्रिदशवार्द्धकिः: the divine artisan (carpenter of the gods)
• त्रिदशवार्द्धकिः: Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश + वार्द्धकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रिदशानां वार्द्धकिः) — 'carpenter/artisan of the gods'

Speaker

Sūta (deduced for Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous birth/manifestation of Viśvakarman: the divine artisan appears with compass, axe, and measuring cord; behind him rise celestial palaces and a temple prototype, suggesting Tvaṣṭṛ as the gods’ master-builder.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Tvaṣṭṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred craftsmanship is divine in origin; creative skill (śilpa) is portrayed as a cosmic function supporting worship and order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated within Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, linking divine lineages to the sanctity of the region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse undergirds the sanctity of consecrated building and sacred art by identifying its divine archetype.