Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 123

Devanagari script

भक्तियोगेन चास्थाय व्रतं पाशुपतादिकम् । श्मशानवासिनो नग्ना अपरे चैकवाससः

Transliteration

bhaktiyogena cāsthāya vrataṃ pāśupatādikam | śmaśānavāsino nagnā apare caikavāsasaḥ

Translation

ഭക്തിയോഗം ആശ്രയിച്ച് അവർ പാശുപതാദി വ്രതങ്ങൾ സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നു—ചിലർ ശ്മശാനവാസികൾ, ചിലർ നഗ്നർ, മറ്റുചിലർ ഏകവസ്ത്രധാരികൾ।

Word by Word

• भक्ति-योगेन: by devotional yoga
• भक्ति-योगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—भक्तेः योगः (devotional yoga)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आस्थाय: having undertaken
• आस्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √स्था (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त; अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having undertaken)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाशुपत-आदिकम्: beginning with the Pāśupata (vow)
• पाशुपत-आदिकम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—पाशुपतं आदिः यस्य (beginning with Pāśupata)

• श्मशान-वासिनः: dwelling in cremation grounds
• श्मशान-वासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—श्मशाने वसन्ति इति

• नग्नाः: naked
• नग्नाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘श्मशानवासिनः’ इति विशेषणम्

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एक-वाससः: wearing a single garment
• एक-वाससः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—एकं वासः येषाम् (single-clothed)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī / Umā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees established in bhakti-yoga undertake Pāśupata-type vows: some live in cremation grounds, some are unclad, others wear a single cloth—each marked by austerity and fearlessness.

Characters & Entities

• Bhakti-yoga
• Pāśupata-vrata
• Śmaśāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion may express itself through rigorous ascetic vows aimed at detachment and single-pointed worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, as a setting where intense Śaiva observances are depicted and validated within the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pāśupata and allied vratas, including austerities such as śmaśāna-vāsa and minimal clothing.