Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । अथ मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना तद्व्रतं प्रति निश्चला । चिंतितं मनसा ह्येतन्मयाब्राह्मणसत्तमाः

Transliteration

rājovāca | atha me buddhirutpannā tadvrataṃ prati niścalā | ciṃtitaṃ manasā hyetanmayābrāhmaṇasattamāḥ

Translation

രാജാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—അപ്പോൾ ആ വ്രതത്തോടുള്ള എന്റെ ബുദ്ധി അചഞ്ചല നിശ്ചയമായി ഉറച്ചു. ഹേ ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരേ, ഞാൻ ഇതിനെ മനസ്സിൽ ചിന്തിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive enclitic)

• बुद्धिः: thought, resolve
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उत्पन्ना: arisen
• उत्पन्ना: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्√पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with बुद्धिः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards, regarding
• प्रति: Sambandha (Relation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद (towards/with regard to)

• निश्चला: steadfast, unwavering
• निश्चला: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with बुद्धिः)

• चिन्तितम्: considered, thought over
• चिन्तितम्: Kriya (Result state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (thought/considered)

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्राह्मण-सत्तमाः: O best of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मण-सत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (O best of Brahmins)

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa-sattamāḥ (excellent brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king speaks respectfully to assembled brāhmaṇa-sages, expressing unwavering resolve to undertake Śivarātri-vrata; the setting suggests a tīrtha-āśrama near Prabhāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (addressed as brāhmaṇa-sattamāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with firm inner resolve—saṅkalpa stabilizes the mind and makes a vow effective.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Prabhāsa Kṣetra; this verse introduces the king’s intention to undertake the related vow.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vrata is referenced generally; the practical steps unfold in the subsequent verses (snāna, pūjā, vigil).