Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

यतः कोपेन भवतां लिंगं प्रपतितं भुवि । प्रतिष्ठा तस्य कर्तव्या युष्माभिर्वै न संशयः

Transliteration

yataḥ kopena bhavatāṃ liṃgaṃ prapatitaṃ bhuvi | pratiṣṭhā tasya kartavyā yuṣmābhirvai na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

‘നിങ്ങളുടെ കോപം മൂലം ലിംഗം ഭൂമിയിൽ പതിച്ചു; അതിനാൽ അതിന്റെ പ്രതിഷ്ഠ നിങ്ങളേ ചെയ്യണം—ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല.’

Word by Word

• यतः: because, since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्ययम् (causal: "because/since")

• कोपेन: by anger
• कोपेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• भवताम्: of you (honorific, plural)
• भवताम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भवत्-शब्दः; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्तिः (Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र कर्मपदत्वेन (object)

• प्रपतितम्: fallen down
• प्रपतितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prapatita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; pra + √pat (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; लिङ्गम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भुवि: on the ground, on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

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

• तस्य: of that (liṅga)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• कर्तव्या: must be done
• कर्तव्या: Karya (Obligation/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kartavya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; प्रतिष्ठा इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• युष्माभिः: by you (plural)
• युष्माभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• वै: indeed, surely
• वै: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• न: not, no
• न: Nipata (Negation/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Someśvara liṅga restoration episode)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijas (addressed directly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā points to the fallen liṅga on the earth, admonishing the dvijas that their anger caused the fall and that they must reinstall it without doubt; the scene carries gravity and resolve, with the liṅga awaiting restoration.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Liṅga
• Dvijas/Officiants
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When harm is caused through passion or anger, dharma requires taking responsibility and restoring what was damaged.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the liṅga’s fall and reinstallation become part of the site’s sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Re-consecration (pratiṣṭhā) of the fallen liṅga as a corrective rite.