Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । अहोरात्रेक्षणपरो वेदांगश्रुतिभूषणः । आज्यनासः स्रुवतुडः सामघोषस्वनो महान्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | ahorātrekṣaṇaparo vedāṃgaśrutibhūṣaṇaḥ | ājyanāsaḥ sruvatuḍaḥ sāmaghoṣasvano mahān

Translation

ईश्वर उवाच— अहोरात्रे तस्येक्षणे, वेदाङ्गश्रुत्यौ भूषणम्। आज्यं नासिका-गन्धः, स्रुवः तुडः; सामघोषः महान् तस्य स्वनः।

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: Īśvara
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (perfect, 3rd sg)

• aho-rātra-īkṣaṇa-paraḥ: intent on watching day and night
• aho-rātra-īkṣaṇa-paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aho-rātra + īkṣaṇa + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• veda-aṅga-śruti-bhūṣaṇaḥ: adorned with the Vedic limbs and śruti
• veda-aṅga-śruti-bhūṣaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda-aṅga + śruti + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• ājya-nāsaḥ: whose nose is ghee
• ājya-nāsaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ājya + nāsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• sruva-tuḍaḥ: whose goad/point is the sruva (spoon)
• sruva-tuḍaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sruva + tuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• sāma-ghoṣa-svanaḥ: whose sound is the chant of Sāman
• sāma-ghoṣa-svanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāman + ghoṣa + svana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• mahān: great
• mahān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varāha/yajña-puruṣa with eyes reflecting the cycle of day and night; body adorned with Vedāṅga and Śruti as jeweled garlands; a fragrance of ghee emanates; a sruva-ladle appears as a goad; the roar manifests as visible Sāman musical waves.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Yajñavarāha
• Ahorātra
• Vedāṅga
• Śruti
• Ājya (ghee)
• Sruva
• Sāman (Sāma-veda chants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scripture and sacred sound are portrayed as living power; mantra and yajña are divine manifestations, not mere forms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It continues the Yajñavarāha praise within the Prabhāsa/Karddamāla origin setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse elevates Sāman chanting and yajña implements as sacred, implying their sanctity in worship.