Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तं शोषय द्विजश्रेष्ठ हितार्थं त्रिदिवौकसाम् । नान्यः शक्तः पुमान्कश्चित्कर्तुमीदृक्क्रिया विभो

Transliteration

taṃ śoṣaya dvijaśreṣṭha hitārthaṃ tridivaukasām | nānyaḥ śaktaḥ pumānkaścitkartumīdṛkkriyā vibho

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, ത്രിദിവവാസികളുടെ ഹിതത്തിനായി ആ സമുദ്രത്തെ ശോഷിപ്പിക്കണമേ. ഹേ വിഭോ, ഇത്തരമൊരു കർമ്മം ചെയ്യാൻ നിങ്ങളൊഴികെ മറ്റാരും ശേഷിയുള്ളവരല്ല.

Word by Word

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

• शोषय: dry up
• शोषय: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुष् (धातु) णिच् (शोषय)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative) ‘cause to dry up’

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हितार्थम्: for the welfare
• हितार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे प्रयोजनवाचकः (हितस्य अर्थः = for the benefit)

• त्रिदिवौकसाम्: of the dwellers in heaven (the gods)
• त्रिदिवौकसाम्: Sambandha (Beneficiary-possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव (प्रातिपदिक) + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिदिवे ओकः यस्य = heaven-dwellers)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• अन्यः: another
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘another (person)’

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शक् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘able’

• पुमान्: man/person
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Kriyā-artha (Complement infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), ‘to do’

• ईदृक्: such
• ईदृक्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश्/ईदृक् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (क्रिया) ‘such/like this’

• क्रिया: deed/action
• क्रिया: Karma (Thing done)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विभो: O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Devas (Suras)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (samudra-sannidhi)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devas implore Agastya to dry the ocean itself for the devas’ welfare, declaring none other can perform such an act; Agastya’s calm power contrasts the ocean’s vastness.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Ocean (Samudra)
• Tridivaukas (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True capability is rooted in tapas and dharma; spiritual power can accomplish what ordinary strength cannot.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The request is made in the Prabhāsa Kṣetra narrative frame, reinforcing the kṣetra as a stage for world-protecting acts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse is a petition requesting an extraordinary dharmic action.