Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तद्गर्भं विधिना दृष्टा दिशोदश दधुस्तदा । समेत्य धारयामासुर्न च धर्तुमशक्नुवन्

Transliteration

tadgarbhaṃ vidhinā dṛṣṭā diśodaśa dadhustadā | sametya dhārayāmāsurna ca dhartumaśaknuvan

Translation

ആ ഗർഭസദൃശമായ തത്ത്വത്തെ വിധാതാവായ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് കണ്ടപ്പോൾ, പത്ത് ദിക്കുകളോടും അതിനെ സ്വീകരിക്കുവാൻ ആജ്ഞാപിച്ചു. അവ ചേർന്ന് ധരിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചെങ്കിലും ധരിക്കുവാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• गर्भम्: embryo/womb-content
• गर्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• विधिना: by Brahmā / by ordinance
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्

• दृष्टाः: having seen
• दृष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → दृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle: ‘having seen/seen’)

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचनम्

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे (ten [directions])

• दधुः: held/placed
• दधुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• समेत्य: having assembled
• समेत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-इ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त) → समेत्य
• Form: अव्ययीभावरूपेण; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive: ‘having come together’)

• धारयामासुः: they tried to hold/bore
• धारयामासुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) णिच् (causative) + लिट्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘caused to be held/attempted to hold’)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• धर्तुम्: to hold
• धर्तुम्: Prayojana/Anvaya (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive (कर्तुमर्थे)

• अशक्नुवन्: they were unable
• अशक्नुवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; नकारेण निषेधितम् (with negation)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (address implied in adjacent verse sequence)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā beholds a radiant ‘germ/essence’ and commands the ten directions to receive it; the Dik-devīs gather, straining to hold a luminous, embryo-like orb that overwhelms them.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Vidhi)
• Daśa Diśaḥ (ten directions)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power can exceed even cosmic containers; it requires the right ordained seat and time to be established.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, implied as the destined arena where the divine essence will ultimately settle.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates cosmic events involving Brahmā and the directions.