Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

आत्मोपलब्धिविषयं स्तुतिगोचरवर्जितम् । निष्कलं विमलात्मानं प्रकटं ज्ञानदीपकम्

Transliteration

ātmopalabdhiviṣayaṃ stutigocaravarjitam | niṣkalaṃ vimalātmānaṃ prakaṭaṃ jñānadīpakam

Translation

അത് ആത്മസാക്ഷാത്കാരവിഷയം; വെറും സ്തുതിയുടെ ഗമ്യതയ്ക്ക് അതീതം; നിഷ്കലം, വിമലസ്വരൂപം, പ്രത്യക്ഷ ജ്ഞാനദീപകം.

Word by Word

• आत्मोपलब्धिविषयम्: object of self-realization
• आत्मोपलब्धिविषयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + उपलब्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः उपलब्धिः) + तत्पुरुषः (उपलब्धेः विषयः)

• स्तुतिगोचरवर्जितम्: excluded from the range of praise
• स्तुतिगोचरवर्जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त; √वृज्/वर्ज् त्यागे, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्तुतेः गोचरः) + तत्पुरुषः (गोचरात् वर्जितम्)

• निष्कलम्: partless; without divisions
• निष्कलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विमलात्मानम्: of pure nature/self
• विमलात्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (विमलः आत्मा यस्य/विमल आत्मा)

• प्रकटम्: manifest; evident
• प्रकटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञानदीपकम्: lamp of knowledge
• ज्ञानदीपकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + दीपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानस्य दीपकः)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsa-māhātmya context): narrator/teacher figure

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-liṅga (as jñāna-dīpaka)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark sanctum lit by a single bright flame that visually merges with the liṅga’s aura—symbolizing the ‘lamp of knowledge’; hymns fade into silence as light intensifies.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest reality is not captured by words of praise; it is realized directly as pure, undivided awareness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa kṣetra, within whose māhātmya the Liṅga/Śiva is praised as jñāna-dīpa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse emphasizes inner realization over verbal glorification.