Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 145

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठसामपरं चैव द्वितीयं गदतः शृणु । न च श्राव्यं द्वितीयं तु जप्तव्यं मुक्तिमिच्छता

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhasāmaparaṃ caiva dvitīyaṃ gadataḥ śṛṇu | na ca śrāvyaṃ dvitīyaṃ tu japtavyaṃ muktimicchatā

Translation

ജ്യേഷ്ഠ-സാമത്തിനു പിന്നാലെയുള്ള രണ്ടാമത്തെ (മന്ത്രം) എന്റെ വാക്കിൽ നിന്ന് കേൾക്കുക. ഈ രണ്ടാമത്തേതു പൊതുവിൽ ചൊല്ലിക്കേൾപ്പിക്കരുത്; മോക്ഷം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ രഹസ്യമായി ജപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ज्येष्ठसामपरम्: next after the Jyeṣṭha-sāman
• ज्येष्ठसामपरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठसाम + पर (प्रातिपदिक); ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (ज्येष्ठसामस्य परम् = next after the Jyeṣṭha-sāman)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• द्वितीयम्: the second
• द्वितीयम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• गदतः: (he) says / declares
• गदतः: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वर्तमानकाल (Present indicative, 3rd person singular)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 2nd person singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• श्राव्यम्: to be recited aloud
• श्राव्यम्: Vidhi/Pratiṣedha (Prohibited predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु (धातु) + ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; gerundive sense)

• द्वितीयम्: the second (one)
• द्वितीयम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• जप्तव्यम्: to be muttered
• जप्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligatory predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप्तव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √जप् (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; gerundive/obligatory)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object of desire)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• इच्छता: by one desiring
• इच्छता: Karta (Agent; by one who desires)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Present active participle, Masculine, Instrumental, Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A close, intimate instruction: the teacher leans slightly toward the listener, indicating secrecy; a lone practitioner performs silent japa at dawn near the Prabhāsa shore, with the temple silhouette and a quiet inner glow suggesting mokṣa-seeking.

Characters & Entities

• Jyeṣṭha-sāman
• Mokṣa (liberation)
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain liberating recitations are to be guarded and practiced inwardly; restraint and purity of transmission are part of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The ‘second’ recitation is not for public chanting; it is to be performed as private japa by a seeker of liberation.