Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

परेण ध्यानयोगेन स्थाणुभूतस्य तिष्ठतः । ततः कदाचिदागत्य तं देशं मत्स्यजीविनः

Transliteration

pareṇa dhyānayogena sthāṇubhūtasya tiṣṭhataḥ | tataḥ kadācidāgatya taṃ deśaṃ matsyajīvinaḥ

Translation

പരമധ്യാനയോഗത്തിൽ ലീനനായി തൂണുപോലെ നിശ്ചലമായി നിന്നിരിക്കെ, ഏതോ സമയത്ത് മത്സ്യജീവികൾ ആ സ്ഥലത്തേക്ക് വന്നു.

Word by Word

• परेण: supreme, intense
• परेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ध्यानयोगेन)

• ध्यानयोगेन: by the yoga of meditation
• ध्यानयोगेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ध्यानस्य योगः)

• स्थाणुभूतस्य: of (him) who had become motionless like a pillar
• स्थाणुभूतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थाणु + भू (धातु)
• Form: भूत (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle) समासान्त-प्रयोग; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (of one) become like a pillar

• तिष्ठतः: of (him) standing
• तिष्ठतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (of one) standing

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (from there/thereupon)

• कदाचित्: once
• कदाचित्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (at some time)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having come)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देशम्: place, region
• देशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मत्स्यजीविनः: fishermen
• मत्स्यजीविनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य + जीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (मत्स्येन जीविनः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing the narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (waterside spot)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage stands or sits utterly still like a pillar, eyes half-closed, aura subtle; in the distance fishermen approach with nets, unaware of the yogin’s absorption.

Characters & Entities

• Āpastamba
• Fishermen (matsyajīvinaḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Deep meditation produces steadfastness; worldly events still arise around the yogin, testing compassion and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains within Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, though this verse focuses on the ascetic’s meditation setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative absorption (dhyāna-yoga) is described as an ascetic discipline.