Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

एतद्वस्त्रापथं क्षेत्रं रत्नधात्वोस्तथाऽकरम् । कथितं तव देवेशि पुनः संक्षेपतो मया

Transliteration

etadvastrāpathaṃ kṣetraṃ ratnadhātvostathā'karam | kathitaṃ tava deveśi punaḥ saṃkṣepato mayā

Translation

ഹേ ദേവേശി! രത്നങ്ങളുടെയും ധാതുക്കളുടെയും ആകരമായി പ്രസിദ്ധമായ ഈ വസ്ത്രാപഥ ക്ഷേത്രത്തെ ഞാൻ നിനക്കു വീണ്ടും സംക്ഷേപമായി വിവരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — neuter nom/acc sg (demonstrative)

• वस्त्रापथम्: Vastrāpatha (name of the place/route)
• वस्त्रापथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र + पथ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: वस्त्रस्य पथः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — masculine accusative singular

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — neuter accusative singular (in apposition)

• रत्नधात्वोः: of gems and minerals/metals
• रत्नधात्वोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न + धातु (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (रत्नं च धातुः च); षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन — genitive dual

• तथा: also/thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/also)

• अकरम्: a mine (source)
• अकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — neuter accusative singular

• कथितम्: has been told/described
• कथितम्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — past passive participle; neuter nom/acc sg

• तव: to you/for you
• तव: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (2nd person pronoun)

• देवेशि: O goddess (lady of gods)
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• संक्षेपतः: briefly
• संक्षेपतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संक्षेपतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: briefly)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular (1st person pronoun)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A narrator addressing the Goddess, gesturing to a stylized map of Vastrāpatha with icons of shrines, mountains, and a glittering ‘mine’ motif symbolizing ratna-dhātu abundance.

Characters & Entities

• Vastrāpatha-kṣetra
• Devī (addressed as Deveśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is praised not only for worldly abundance but as a dharmic landscape whose true wealth is merit, remembrance, and sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha-kṣetra in Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse functions as a concise recap of the kṣetra’s greatness.