Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

पंचाग्निसाधिका देवी ग्रीष्म जाप्यपरायणा । वर्षास्वाकाशशयना हेमंते सलिलाशया

Transliteration

paṃcāgnisādhikā devī grīṣma jāpyaparāyaṇā | varṣāsvākāśaśayanā hemaṃte salilāśayā

Translation

Sang Dewi menunaikan laku ‘lima api’; pada musim panas baginda tekun dalam japa. Pada musim hujan baginda berbaring di bawah langit terbuka, dan pada musim sejuk baginda bersemadi di dalam air.

Word by Word

• पञ्चाग्निसाधिका: practising the five-fire austerity
• पञ्चाग्निसाधिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + साधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying देवी)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ग्रीष्मे: in summer
• ग्रीष्मे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• जाप्यपरायणा: devoted to japa (muttering prayers)
• जाप्यपरायणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाप्य (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying देवी)

• वर्षासु: in the rainy season(s)
• वर्षासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कालाधिकरण

• आकाशशयना: sleeping in the open sky (outdoors)
• आकाशशयना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying देवी)

• हेमन्ते: in winter
• हेमन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• सलिलाशया: resting/lying in water
• सलिलाशया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying देवी)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa tapas-bhūmi (near Gaurīśvara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi/audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vivid cycle of seasons: Satī seated amid four blazing fires with the sun overhead (pañcāgni); then in summer counting japa on a rosary; in monsoon lying under open sky with rain clouds; in winter immersed in water, steady and unmoved, the liṅga nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Pañcāgni (austerity)
• Japa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is measured by steadiness across seasons; disciplined tapas and japa are celebrated as purifying and place-sanctifying.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The austerities are performed at Prabhāsakṣetra, enhancing the kṣetra’s fame through Devī’s practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcāgni austerity, japa in summer, sky-exposure during rains, and water-resting in winter are described as forms of tapas.