Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

के मंत्राः किं विधानं तत्कस्मिन्काले महत्फलम् । किं पुराभूच्च तद्वृत्तं भगवन्कंकणाश्रितम्

Transliteration

ke maṃtrāḥ kiṃ vidhānaṃ tatkasminkāle mahatphalam | kiṃ purābhūcca tadvṛttaṃ bhagavankaṃkaṇāśritam

Translation

ഏത് മന്ത്രങ്ങൾ, എന്ത് വിധാനം, ഏത് കാലത്ത് അതിന് മഹാഫലം ലഭിക്കുന്നു? കൂടാതെ, ഹേ ഭഗവൻ, ആ കങ്കണവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട പുരാതന വൃത്താന്തം എന്താണ്?

Word by Word

• के: which/what (plural)
• के: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• विधानम्: procedure/rite
• विधानम्: Karta/Karma (Contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anaphoric (Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• काले: time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• महत्-फलम्: great fruit/result
• महत्-फलम्: Karta/Karma (Contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महत् फलम्)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Modifier (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अभूत्: happened/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘वृत्तम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वृत्तम्: account/incident
• वृत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• कंकण-आश्रितम्: connected with the bracelet
• कंकण-आश्रितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कंकण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रित (कृदन्त; आ-श्रि धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘आश्रित’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कंकणम् आश्रितम्)

Speaker

Devī (Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-samudra-tīrtha (kankaṇa-rite context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhagavān (Śiva/Īśvara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī continues her detailed questioning: scroll-like enumeration of ‘mantra, vidhi, kāla, phala’; Śiva poised to narrate an ancient account; the sea remains as backdrop, emphasizing liminality.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Īśvara (Śiva)
• kaṃkaṇa
• mantra
• vidhāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma integrates mantra, method, timing, and sacred history; correct context completes the spiritual act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The question pertains to Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s sea-tīrtha tradition, to be explained by Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A rite involving kaṃkaṇa is implied, with interest in its mantras, vidhāna (procedure), and auspicious timing.