Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

पृथिव्यै चांतरिक्षाय वायवे दीक्षिताय च । संयोगाय वियोगाय धात्रे कर्त्रेऽपहारिणे

Transliteration

pṛthivyai cāṃtarikṣāya vāyave dīkṣitāya ca | saṃyogāya viyogāya dhātre kartre'pahāriṇe

Translation

പൃഥിവീരൂപനേ നമസ്കാരം, അന്തരീക്ഷരൂപനേ നമസ്കാരം; വായുരൂപനേ നമസ്കാരം, ദീക്ഷിതപ്രഭുവേ നമസ്കാരം. സംയോഗ-വിയോഗരൂപനേ നമസ്കാരം; ധാതാ, കർത്താ, അപഹാരിണ (സംഹാരക) രൂപനേ നമസ്കാരം.

Word by Word

• पृथिव्यै: to the Earth
• पृथिव्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• अन्तरिक्षाय: to the mid-space/atmosphere
• अन्तरिक्षाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• वायवे: to Vāyu (wind)
• वायवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (वायवे इति रूपम्)

• दीक्षिताय: to the initiated one
• दीक्षिताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; √दिक्ष्/दीक्ष् धातोः कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; दीक्षित = initiated/consecrated

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• संयोगाय: to union/connection
• संयोगाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• वियोगाय: to separation/disunion
• वियोगाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• धात्रे: to the sustainer/creator
• धात्रे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक; √धा धातोः कर्तरि-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (धात्रे)

• कर्त्रे: to the doer/maker
• कर्त्रे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ धातोः कर्तरि-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (कर्त्रे)

• अपहारिणे: to the remover/taker away
• अपहारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप + हृ (धातु) → अपहारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; अपहारिन् = removing/stealing away

Speaker

Devī (addressing Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: Earth as a stable base, mid-sky as luminous expanse, Vāyu as swirling currents; above them a serene Śiva presence indicating creation, maintenance, and withdrawal, with paired motifs of meeting and parting (two figures joining/separating) to symbolize saṃyoga-viyoga.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Pṛthivī
• Antarikṣa
• Vāyu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All processes—creation, maintenance, dissolution, and even meeting and parting—are seen as expressions of the same Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The hymn occurs in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, situating Śiva’s cosmic praise within the sanctity of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is commanded; the verse functions as stotra-japa, a devotional recitation praising Śiva’s all-pervading forms.