Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तव वाक्येन राजेंद्र मृतोऽसौ रोगवान्भवेत् । ब्रह्मपुत्रोऽप्यहं तेन पश्यामि परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

tava vākyena rājeṃdra mṛto'sau rogavānbhavet | brahmaputro'pyahaṃ tena paśyāmi parameśvaram

Translation

ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ, നിന്റെ വാക്കുകൊണ്ട് അവൻ മരിച്ചവനുപോലെ രോഗബാധിതനാകും. എങ്കിലും അതേ (ദിവ്യപ്രഭാവം) കൊണ്ടു ഞാൻ പോലും—ബ്രഹ്മപുത്രനായിട്ടും—പരമേശ്വരനെ ദർശിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

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

• वाक्येन: by (your) word
• वाक्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘राज्ञां इन्द्रः’)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; मृ धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• असौ: that (man)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; दूरवाचक-सर्वनाम

• रोगवान्: diseased
• रोगवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; मतुप्-अन्त विशेषण

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मपुत्रः: son of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘ब्रह्मणः पुत्रः’)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तेन: by that (means)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमेश्वरम्: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘परमः ईश्वरः’)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage-like, Brahmā-born narrator addresses the king: the king’s command could doom the charioteer to disease, yet the tīrtha’s power grants the speaker vision of Parameśvara; the Lord’s presence is hinted as a radiant, formless majesty.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Brahmā
• Parameśvara (Supreme Lord)
• Sūta (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority must be used carefully; sacred power reveals God, but misuse of command can cause grave harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra’s Brahmapadma context, through which even exalted beings gain Parameśvara-darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite here; it underscores consequence, sanctity, and divine vision linked to the tīrtha.