Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । गच्छ शीघ्रं नन्दिकेश यत्र ते मम पुत्रकाः । चरंति च व्रतं घोरं मदीयं चातिदुष्करम्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | gaccha śīghraṃ nandikeśa yatra te mama putrakāḥ | caraṃti ca vrataṃ ghoraṃ madīyaṃ cātiduṣkaram

Translation

ഈശ്വരൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ഹേ നന്ദികേശാ! വേഗത്തിൽ പോകുക; അവിടെ എന്റെ പുത്രന്മാർ—നിന്റെ അധീനർ—എന്റെ ഘോരവും അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്കരവുമായ വ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (Lord Śiva)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• नन्दिकेश: O Nandikeśa
• नन्दिकेश: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat. 6th/4th), एकवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (possessive)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• पुत्रकाः: sons/children
• पुत्रकाः: Karta (Subject within relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चरन्ति: practice/perform
• चरन्ति: Kriya (Action in clause)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• घोरम्: terrible/austere
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of 'व्रतम्')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मदीयम्: my
• मदीयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of 'व्रतम्')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अतिदुष्करम्: extremely difficult
• अतिदुष्करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of 'व्रतम्')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययपूर्वपद-कर्मधारयः (अति दुष्करम्)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nandikeśa/Nandin

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On Kailāsa, Īśvara (Śiva) issues a swift command to Nandikeśvara: go at once to Prabhāsa where Śiva’s ‘sons’ (devotee-sages/gaṇa-associated ascetics) are performing a fierce vow.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Nandikeśa (Nandin)
• Pāśupata-type vrata (implied)
• Putrakāḥ (Śiva’s devotees/gaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tradition honors rigorous vowed practice and shows divine guardianship mobilized on behalf of sincere observers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya; the exact spot is indicated as the place where the devotees are performing the vow.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A ‘ghora’ and ‘ati-duṣkara’ vow belonging to Śiva (madīya-vrata), aligned with the Pāśupata discipline discussed in the chapter.