Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

प्राभासिके महातीर्थे सावित्र्या सहितः प्रभुः । कारयामास कुण्डानां मण्डपानां शतंशतम्

Transliteration

prābhāsike mahātīrthe sāvitryā sahitaḥ prabhuḥ | kārayāmāsa kuṇḍānāṃ maṇḍapānāṃ śataṃśatam

Translation

പ്രഭാസ മഹാതീർത്ഥത്തിൽ പ്രഭു സാവിത്രിയോടുകൂടെ, നൂറുകൾക്കു നൂറുകൾ യജ്ഞകുണ്ഡങ്ങളും മണ്ഡപങ്ങളും പണിയിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• प्राभासिके: in Prabhāsa (region)
• प्राभासिके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prābhāsika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (स्थलनाम-विशेषण); सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; महातीर्थे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• महातीर्थे: at the great sacred ford/pilgrimage-place
• महातीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक; महा + तीर्थ)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सावित्र्या: with Sāvitrī
• सावित्र्या: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāvitrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• सहितः: accompanied (by)
• सहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √sah (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; प्रभुः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रभुः: the Lord (Brahmā)
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कारयामास: caused to be made
• कारयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: "caused to be made")

• कुण्डानाम्: of ponds/pits (kuṇḍas)
• कुण्डानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्तिः (Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• मण्डपानाम्: of pavilions
• मण्डपानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; संख्यावाचक-नाम

• शतम्: a hundred (i.e., hundreds)
• शतम्: Karma (Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्त्या अतिशयार्थः

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Mahātīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Prabhāsa, Brahmā and Sāvitrī oversee the creation of innumerable kuṇḍas and ritual pavilions, laid out in orderly rows like a vast sacrificial city.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa (Prābhāsika mahātīrtha)
• Brahmā (Prabhu, implied)
• Sāvitrī
• Kuṇḍas
• Maṇḍapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is expressed through ordered, Vedic-aligned worship—creating spaces that sustain sacrifice and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa mahātīrtha (Prābhāsika kṣetra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Construction/arrangement of kuṇḍas (homa pits) and maṇḍapas (ritual pavilions) for large-scale rites.