Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

स्वच्छंदभारतीदाने यथा ब्रह्मसुता नृणाम् । तथाऽरोग्यप्रदाता च नान्यो देवो दिवाकरात्

Transliteration

svacchaṃdabhāratīdāne yathā brahmasutā nṛṇām | tathā'rogyapradātā ca nānyo devo divākarāt

Translation

“ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ പുത്രി സരസ്വതി മനുഷ്യർക്കു സ്വേച്ഛയായി വാക്ശക്തിയും വിദ്യയും ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നതുപോലെ, ദിവാകരൻ (സൂര്യൻ) ഒഴികെ ആരോഗ്യദാതാവായ മറ്റൊരു ദേവനുമില്ല.”

Word by Word

• स्वच्छन्दभारतीदाने: in the granting of eloquence at will
• स्वच्छन्दभारतीदाने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वच्छन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + भारती (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/अधिकरणसमासार्थः: 'स्वच्छन्द-भारती-दान' इत्यस्मिन्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• ब्रह्मसुता: Brahmā's daughter (Sarasvatī)
• ब्रह्मसुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः सुता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्यतार्थक-अव्यय (so/likewise)

• आरोग्यप्रदाता: giver of health
• आरोग्यप्रदाता: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आरोग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आरोग्यं प्रददाति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दिवाकरात्: than the Sun (Divākara)
• दिवाकरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, continuing theological praise)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Sūrya-upāsanā locus in Sāmba episode)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two divine bestowals contrasted: Sarasvatī with vīṇā and manuscripts granting eloquence; Sūrya (Divākara) radiant in a chariot granting health, rays touching a devotee’s body as healing light.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī (Brahmasutā)
• Divākara (Sūrya)
• Ārogya (health)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Different divine powers are recognized through their fruits; here, health is especially linked to the Sun’s grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The statement functions within Prabhāsa Kṣetra’s māhātmya, supporting the legitimacy of Sūrya worship there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse underscores the unique ārogya-bestowing nature of Sūrya, implying Sūrya-upāsanā.