Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

विनष्टे भूतले देव अग्निष्टोमादिकाः क्रियाः । उच्छिद्यते ततोऽस्माकं नाशो नूनं भविष्यति

Transliteration

vinaṣṭe bhūtale deva agniṣṭomādikāḥ kriyāḥ | ucchidyate tato'smākaṃ nāśo nūnaṃ bhaviṣyati

Translation

ഹേ ദേവാ! ഭൂതലം നശിച്ചാൽ അഗ്നിഷ്ടോമാദി യജ്ഞകർമ്മങ്ങൾ മുറിഞ്ഞുപോകും. അവ നിർത്തപ്പെട്ടാൽ ഞങ്ങളുടെ നാശം തീർച്ചയായും സംഭവിക്കും.

Word by Word

• vinaṣṭe: when (it is) destroyed
• vinaṣṭe: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naś (धातु) + vi (उपसर्ग) + ta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• bhūtale: on the earth/ground
• bhūtale: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (भू-तलम्)

• deva: O god
• deva: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• agniṣṭoma-ādikāḥ: beginning with Agniṣṭoma (rites)
• agniṣṭoma-ādikāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agniṣṭoma + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (अग्निष्टोमः आदिः येषाम्)

• kriyāḥ: ritual acts
• kriyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ucchidyate: is cut off/ceases
• ucchidyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु) + ut (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• tataḥ: therefore/then
• tataḥ: Hetu/Relation (Cause/connection)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thereupon/therefore')

• asmākam: of us/our
• asmākam: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• nāśaḥ: destruction
• nāśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nūnam: surely
• nūnam: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle/adverb of certainty)

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• bhaviṣyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas lament before Brahmā: the earth-altar is burning; sacrificial fires and altars fade; priests and implements appear as ghostly silhouettes, signifying rites being cut off and devas weakening.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā
• Agniṣṭoma (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Yajña and dharmic rites are portrayed as supports of cosmic harmony; when the world is destabilized, spiritual order collapses too.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa is the larger sacred setting; this verse emphasizes protecting dharma within that māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agniṣṭoma and allied Vedic rites are referenced as essential practices that must not be interrupted.