Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

यथा मया सदा कार्या प्रतिष्ठा शंकरात्मिका । भवद्भिः परिकार्या सा मम भागसमाश्रयैः

Transliteration

yathā mayā sadā kāryā pratiṣṭhā śaṃkarātmikā | bhavadbhiḥ parikāryā sā mama bhāgasamāśrayaiḥ

Translation

‘ശങ്കരാത്മകമായ പ്രതിഷ്ഠ എനിക്ക് എപ്പോഴും ചെയ്യേണ്ടതുപോലെ, എന്റെ ഭാഗം (യജ്ഞാധികാരം) ആശ്രയിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന നിങ്ങളും അതിനെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം നിർവഹിക്കണം.’

Word by Word

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (correlative/"as")

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषः; स्त्री/पुं/नपुं (त्रिलिङ्ग); तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• कार्या: to be done, should be performed
• कार्या: Karya (Obligation/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• प्रतिष्ठा: installation, consecration
• प्रतिष्ठा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्

• शंकरात्मिका: of Śaṅkara’s nature, Śaṅkara-embodied
• शंकरात्मिका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṃkara-ātmikā (प्रातिपदिक; शंकर + आत्मिका)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शंकरस्य आत्मिका); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; प्रतिष्ठा-विशेषणम्

• भवद्भिः: by you (honorific, plural)
• भवद्भिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भवत्-शब्दः (आदरार्थ-प्रत्यययुक्त सर्वनामसदृश); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• परिकार्या: to be duly performed
• परिकार्या: Karya (Obligation/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parikārya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; pari + √kṛ (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• भागसमाश्रयैः: by those who have taken refuge in my share/portion
• भागसमाश्रयैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāga-samāśraya (प्रातिपदिक; भाग + समाश्रय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: मम भागस्य समाश्रयाः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; भवद्भिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Someśvara consecration context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijas (ritual specialists)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā instructs the assembled dvijas: ‘As I must perform Śaṅkara’s consecration, so you must do it too’; the priests stand with ritual manuals, ready to begin, while the sanctum awaits installation.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Pratiṣṭhā
• Dvijas/Officiants

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites are communal dharma: qualified participants must uphold and complete Śiva-centered consecrations faithfully.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the ritual setting where Śiva’s consecration is treated as a central sacred duty.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pratiṣṭhā (installation) described as “śaṅkarātmikā,” requiring proper performance and priestly cooperation.