Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ततो देवाः शिवं नत्वा प्रार्थयामासुरीश्वरि । कलत्रसंग्रहं देव कुरु कार्यार्थसंग्रहे

Transliteration

tato devāḥ śivaṃ natvā prārthayāmāsurīśvari | kalatrasaṃgrahaṃ deva kuru kāryārthasaṃgrahe

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ദേവന്മാർ ശിവനെ നമസ്കരിച്ചു പ്രാർത്ഥിച്ചു— “ഹേ ഈശ്വരാ! ലോകകാര്യസിദ്ധിക്കായി അവന്റെ ഭാര്യാസംഗമവും ഗൃഹക്രമവും വീണ്ടും സ്ഥാപിക്കണമേ।”

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरं (then)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नम् (धातु) → नत्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• प्रार्थयामासुः: they entreated/prayed
• प्रार्थयामासुः: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-अर्थय् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ईश्वरि: O goddess/lady
• ईश्वरि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

• कलत्रसंग्रहम्: the restoration/bringing back of the spouse
• कलत्रसंग्रहम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलत्र + संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्म-तत्पुरुषार्थे (कलत्रस्य संग्रहः)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

• कुरु: do/make
• कुरु: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कार्यार्थसंग्रहे: for the accomplishment of the purpose/task
• कार्यार्थसंग्रहे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + अर्थ + संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य अर्थः; तस्य संग्रहः)

Speaker

The Devas (gods)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devas, hands folded, bow before Mahādeva, pleading for restoration of conjugal order and worldly functioning; Śiva seated in yogic composure, the devas arranged in reverent semicircle.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Śiva
• Kāma
• Rati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even gods seek Śiva’s sanction for restoring dharmic order; divine governance aligns personal bonds with cosmic purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where the gods’ supplication to Śiva becomes part of the kṣetra’s glorifying narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it depicts prayer (prārthanā) and reverential bowing (namaskāra).