Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 142

Devanagari script

विश्वकर्मात्वनुज्ञातः शाकद्वीपे विवस्वता । भृ मिमारोप्य तत्तेजः शातनायोपचक्रमे

Transliteration

viśvakarmātvanujñātaḥ śākadvīpe vivasvatā | bhṛ mimāropya tattejaḥ śātanāyopacakrame

Translation

विवस्वता शाकद्वीपे विश्वकर्मा अनुज्ञातः; भृमिमारोप्य तत्तेजः शातनायोपचक्रमे।

Word by Word

• viśvakarmā: Viśvakarmā
• viśvakarmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvakarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• anujñātaḥ: having been permitted; authorized
• anujñātaḥ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-√jñā (ज्ञा) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• śākadvīpe: in Śākadvīpa
• śākadvīpe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāka-dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक; śāka + dvīpa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शाकस्य द्वीपः)

• vivasvatā: by Vivasvān (the Sun)
• vivasvatā: Karana/Agent (Instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vivasvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• bhṛ: (unclear/possibly an intensifier)
• bhṛ: Sambandha (Unclear/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛ (अव्यय/धात्वादेश)
• Form: अव्यय; पाठभेद/अस्पष्ट-रूपम्—सम्भाव्यं ‘भूः/भृशम्/भृगु’ इत्यादि; अत्र अर्थतः क्रियाविशेषणवत् (uncertain reading)

• mimāropya: having mounted/placed (upon)
• mimāropya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-√ruh/√rop (रोप्) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत्; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having mounted/placed’

• tat-tejaḥ: that radiance; that brilliance
• tat-tejaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad-tejas (प्रातिपदिक; tad + tejas)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य तेजः)

• śātanāya: for reduction; for cutting down
• śātanāya: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of cutting down/diminishing)

• upacakrame: began; set about
• upacakrame: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√kram (क्रम्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (narrative backdrop)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvakarman, authorized by Vivasvān, mounts the Sun on a rotating apparatus and begins reducing the unbearable blaze—an image of cosmic metallurgy.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Vivasvān (Sūrya)
• Śākadvīpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine brilliance is regulated for the protection of creation; restraint is a form of compassion in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While the action occurs in Śākadvīpa, it is narrated within Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, linking cosmic events to the sanctity of the Prabhāsa tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No pilgrim-ritual is prescribed; the verse describes a cosmic act of moderation.