Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 144

Devanagari script

अष्टाक्षरस्थिता चाहं जगद्व्याप्तं मया त्विदम् । माताऽहं सर्ववेदानां वेदैः सर्वैरलङ्कता

Transliteration

aṣṭākṣarasthitā cāhaṃ jagadvyāptaṃ mayā tvidam | mātā'haṃ sarvavedānāṃ vedaiḥ sarvairalaṅkatā

Translation

ഞാൻ അഷ്ടാക്ഷരീ രൂപത്തിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; ഈ സമസ്ത ലോകവും എന്നാൽ വ്യാപ്തമാണ്. ഞാൻ സർവ്വവേദങ്ങളുടെ മാതാവാണ്; എല്ലാ വേദവാക്യങ്ങളാലും അലങ്കൃതയും പ്രമാണിതയും ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अष्टाक्षरस्थिता: situated in the eight-syllable (mantra)
• अष्टाक्षरस्थिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था (धातु) क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (अष्टाक्षरे स्थिताः = situated in eight syllables)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्

• व्याप्तम्: pervaded
• व्याप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √आप्/√व्याप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त; व्याप्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (pervaded)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (Agent-instrumental/कर्ता-करणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (indeed/but)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• सर्ववेदानाम्: of all the Vedas
• सर्ववेदानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां वेदानाम्)

• वेदैः: by the Vedas
• वेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचनम्

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचनम्; वेदैः इति विशेषणम्

• अलङ्कता: adorned
• अलङ्कता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अलङ्कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त; अलङ्कृत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (adorned)

Speaker

Gāyatrī (personified Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Devī/mantra-personification appears above the Prabhāsa shrine, letters of an eight-syllable mantra forming a halo; the world-map/cosmos is shown as suffused by her light, while Vedic ṛṣis hold palm-leaf Vedas as ornaments around her.

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Veda(s)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Devī is presented as mantra-embodied and all-pervading; honoring her is honoring the Vedas themselves.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra (the sacred region of Prabhāsa) within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; the verse establishes Gāyatrī’s mantra-form and Vedic supremacy as the basis for later japa and homa merits.