Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

ऊचुस्तान्विबुधान्सर्वानस्माभिर्यत्प्रयोजनम् । कर्त्तव्यं तत्करिष्यामः कथ्यतां सुविचारितम्

Transliteration

ūcustānvibudhānsarvānasmābhiryatprayojanam | karttavyaṃ tatkariṣyāmaḥ kathyatāṃ suvicāritam

Translation

ସେମାନେ ସମସ୍ତ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କୁ କହିଲେ— “ଆମଦ୍ୱାରା ଆପଣମାନଙ୍କର ଯେ ପ୍ରୟୋଜନ, ଯେ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ କରିବାକୁ ହେବ, ସେ ସବୁ ଆମେ କରିବୁ; ସୁବିଚାର କରି ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ କହନ୍ତୁ।”

Word by Word

• ūcuḥ: they said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु √वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural); परस्मैपदम्

• tān: those (them)
• tān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• vibudhān: the gods, wise ones
• vibudhān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying vibudhān)

• asmābhiḥ: by us
• asmābhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (pronoun), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• yat: which/what
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• prayojanam: purpose, task
• prayojanam: Karma/Prayojya (Object/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• kartavyam: to be done, obligatory
• kartavyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु √कृ) + tavya (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम्

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• kariṣyāmaḥ: we will do
• kariṣyāmaḥ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु √कृ)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• kathyatām: let it be told
• kathyatām: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु √कथ्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive); आदेशार्थ (let it be told)

• suvicāritam: well-considered
• suvicāritam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + vicārita (वि-√चर्/√चिन्त् भावे; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of what is to be told)

Speaker

Gomātaraḥ (the five cow-mothers)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Five cow-mothers address the assembled devas with composed humility, offering their service and requesting a clear statement of the task; the scene is diplomatic, orderly, and sacred.

Characters & Entities

• Vibudhas (Devas)
• Gomātaraḥ (cow-mothers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is shown as willing, thoughtful service—readiness to act for a higher cosmic purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, the sacred setting where divine beings coordinate acts tied to purity and sacred order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No named ritual; the focus is on kartavya (duty) undertaken upon divine instruction.