Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

शिव उवाच । शृणु यत्कारणं तत्र तेषां तव तपस्विनाम् । व्रतचर्याप्तये विप्राः पूजयन्त्यधिकं हि ते

Transliteration

śiva uvāca | śṛṇu yatkāraṇaṃ tatra teṣāṃ tava tapasvinām | vratacaryāptaye viprāḥ pūjayantyadhikaṃ hi te

Translation

ശിവൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“അതിനുള്ള കാരണം കേൾക്കുക; അവിടെയുള്ള ആ തപസ്വികളെ സംബന്ധിച്ച്. വ്രതാചരണത്തിന്റെ സമാപ്തിക്കായി വിപ്രന്മാർ നിന്നേക്കാൾ അധികമായി പൂജ അർപ്പിക്കുന്നു.”

Word by Word

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• कारणम्: reason, cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तव: of you, your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपस्विनाम्: of the ascetics
• तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• व्रतचर्या-आप्तये: for the attainment of observance/practice of vows
• व्रतचर्या-आप्तये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतचर्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of)

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पूजयन्ति: worship, honor
• पूजयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• अधिकम्: more, greatly
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: more, greatly)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Maṃki

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva explains to Maṃki that other ascetics are worshipped more abundantly by brāhmaṇas to complete their vows; the scene includes brāhmaṇas preparing offerings near a shrine while ascetics observe restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Vipras (brāhmaṇas)
• Tapasvins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva emphasizes that disciplined observance (vrata-caryā) includes appropriate, complete worship—practice must match intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a place where proper vrata and pūjā yield powerful results.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata-caryā (observance/discipline) supported by fuller pūjā (more complete offerings and honours).