Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

देवानां वचनाद्ब्रह्मा गत्वा सागरसन्निधौ । समुद्रार्थे ययाचे तान्ब्राह्मणान्क्षेत्रवासिनः

Transliteration

devānāṃ vacanādbrahmā gatvā sāgarasannidhau | samudrārthe yayāce tānbrāhmaṇānkṣetravāsinaḥ

Translation

ਦੇਵਤਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਆਦੇਸ਼ ਨਾਲ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਦੇ ਤਟ ਨੇੜੇ ਗਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਦੀ ਖਾਤਰ ਉਸ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਖੇਤਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੱਸਦੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਅੱਗੇ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਕੀਤੀ।

Word by Word

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वचनात्: from the command / at the word
• वचनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान; cause/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सागर-सन्निधौ: near the ocean
• सागर-सन्निधौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (sāgarasya sannidhau = in the vicinity of the ocean)

• समुद्र-अर्थे: for the sake of the ocean
• समुद्र-अर्थे: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (समुद्रस्य अर्थे = for the sake of the ocean)

• ययाचे: begged / requested
• ययाचे: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

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

• ब्राह्मणान्: brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तान् इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• क्षेत्र-वासिनः: dwelling in the (sacred) field/region
• क्षेत्र-वासिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ब्राह्मणान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्र + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रे वासिनः = residing in the sacred place)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual narration within the Māhātmya; speaker not explicitly marked here)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (sāgara-sannidhi)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced and radiant, arrives at the ocean’s edge at Prabhāsa; waves roll behind him as he respectfully petitions a gathered assembly of resident brāhmaṇas seated on kusa mats, with ritual fires and water-pots nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā
• Sāgara/Samudra (Ocean)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Kṣetra-vāsin (holy-place residents)
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic powers seek the blessing of dharma-bearers; holiness of place is sustained through the authority of the righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra by the ocean—its sāgara-sannidhi (ocean-front sacred presence).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A petition for the ocean’s benefit is made to resident brāhmaṇas, implying rites of appeasement, blessing, and sanctification (prasāda/purification) to be performed.