Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

विषादं परमं जग्मुर्वाक्यं चेदमथाबुवन् । अदृष्ट्वा शांकरं लिगं न यास्यामो वयं गृहम्

Transliteration

viṣādaṃ paramaṃ jagmurvākyaṃ cedamathābuvan | adṛṣṭvā śāṃkaraṃ ligaṃ na yāsyāmo vayaṃ gṛham

Translation

അവർ അത്യന്തം വിഷാദത്തിലായി പറഞ്ഞു: “ശങ്കരലിംഗം ദർശിക്കാതെ ഞങ്ങൾ വീട്ടിലേക്കു മടങ്ങുകയില്ല।”

Word by Word

• विषादम्: despondency, grief
• विषादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme, intense
• परमम्: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (to विषादम्)

• जग्मुः: went to, fell into
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

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

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-निपात (then/now)

• अबुवन्: they said
• अबुवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; छान्दस/पुराणप्रयोगे रूपम् (for अब्रुवन्)

• अदृष्ट्वा: without seeing
• अदृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक-क्त्वा (negative absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया: न दृष्ट्वा (without seeing)

• शांकरम्: of Śaṅkara (Śiva’s)
• शांकरम्: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (to लिङ्गम्)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga, emblem
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• यास्यामः: we shall go
• यास्यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• गृहम्: home
• गृहम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; गन्तव्यकर्म (goal as object)

Speaker

Narration by Īśvara (Śiva) describing the Ṛṣis’ resolve

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims/sages, faces downcast and eyes moist, stand before the obstructed shrine and declare a collective vow: they will not return home without seeing Śaṅkara’s liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Liṅga
• Ṛṣis
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-pointed commitment to divine vision (darśana-niścaya) is upheld as a powerful spiritual discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where Śaṅkara’s Liṅga is sought.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vow-like resolve is expressed: not leaving until the Liṅga is seen.