Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

वरुणः सागरोंशुश्च जीवन्तो जीवनोऽरिहा । भूताश्रयो भूतपतिः सर्वभूतनिषेवितः

Transliteration

varuṇaḥ sāgaroṃśuśca jīvanto jīvano'rihā | bhūtāśrayo bhūtapatiḥ sarvabhūtaniṣevitaḥ

Translation

അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് വരുണൻ; അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് സമുദ്രവും സമുദ്രത്തിന്റെ ദീപ്ത കിരണവും. അവൻ ജീവന്തൻ, ജീവൻ തന്നെയും, അരിഹാ; അവൻ ഭൂതാശ്രയം, ഭൂതപതി, സർവ്വഭൂതനിഷേവിതൻ.

Word by Word

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सागरः: ocean
• सागरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अंशुः: ray; beam
• अंशुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• जीवन्तः: living
• जीवन्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पौराणिक-पाठे); विशेषणम्; 'जीवत्' = living

• जीवनः: life; giver of life
• जीवनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अरिहा: slayer of enemies
• अरिहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः; हन्-धातोः क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्तः (हन् = to slay)

• भूताश्रयः: support of beings
• भूताश्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् आश्रयः)

• भूतपतिः: lord of beings
• भूतपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् पतिः)

• सर्वभूतनिषेवितः: served by all beings
• सर्वभूतनिषेवितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + नि-सेव् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; नि-सेव्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (past passive participle) = 'served by'

Speaker

Indra (Śakra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-samudra-tīra

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (frame audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast ocean at Prabhāsa glitters with sun-rays; Varuṇa imagery merges with the Lord’s form—sea-creatures and pilgrims alike appear as dependents; the deity is envisioned as the sheltering presence behind all life and motion.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Sāgara (Ocean)
• Bhūtas (beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sūrya is celebrated as the life that pervades waters and beings; remembering him nurtures vitality and protective strength grounded in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, a coastal sacred landscape where sea (sāgara) imagery naturally supports the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not stated directly; the context favors praise and recitation as worship.