Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

सर्वतीर्थानि देवेशि मया दृष्टानि भूतले । प्रभासेन समं क्षेत्रं नैव दृष्टं कदाचन

Transliteration

sarvatīrthāni deveśi mayā dṛṣṭāni bhūtale | prabhāsena samaṃ kṣetraṃ naiva dṛṣṭaṃ kadācana

Translation

ഹേ ദേവേശി, ഭൂതലത്തിലെ എല്ലാ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളും ഞാൻ കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്; എന്നാൽ പ്രഭാസത്തിന് തുല്യമായ ക്ഷേത്രം ഞാൻ ഒരിക്കലും കണ്ടിട്ടില്ല.

Word by Word

• सर्वतीर्थानि: all sacred places
• सर्वतीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि तीर्थानि)

• देवेशि: O goddess, ruler of the gods
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशी)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• दृष्टानि: seen
• दृष्टानि: Karma (Object qualified/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘दृष्ट’ = seen; विशेषण (qualifying सर्वतीर्थानि)

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू-तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूतेः तलम्)

• प्रभासेन: with Prabhāsa
• प्रभासेन: Sambandha (Comparison standard/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying क्षेत्रम्)

• क्षेत्रम्: a sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• दृष्टम्: seen (found)
• दृष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘दृष्ट’ = seen; (अध्याहृतं: मया)

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ever/at any time)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from immediate context of speaking to Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic vision of many tīrthas symbolically arrayed, with Prabhāsa shining brightest—radiant kṣetra light (prabhā) emanating from the shrine and coastline, while the speaker addresses the Goddess.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa
• Devī (Deveśī)
• Tīrthas (general)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among many pilgrimages, certain kṣetras are uniquely potent; discernment and devotion lead one to the highest sacred geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, declared incomparable among earthly tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse establishes the kṣetra’s unsurpassed sanctity, encouraging pilgrimage and worship there.