Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

प्रकृष्टं भानुरथवा भासितो विश्वकर्मणा । यत्र साक्षात्प्रभापातो जातः प्राभासिकं ततः

Transliteration

prakṛṣṭaṃ bhānurathavā bhāsito viśvakarmaṇā | yatra sākṣātprabhāpāto jātaḥ prābhāsikaṃ tataḥ

Translation

அல்லது அங்கே சூரியன் மிகச் சிறப்பாக ஒளிர்கிறது; விஸ்வகர்மன் ஒளியூட்டியதுபோல். மேலும் அங்கே நேரடியாக ‘பிரபாபாதம்’ நிகழ்ந்ததால் அது ‘பிராபாசிகம்’ என அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

Word by Word

• prakṛṣṭam: excellent, eminent
• prakṛṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prakṛṣṭa (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle)

• bhānuḥ: the Sun
• bhānuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• atha: or else, alternatively
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पसूचक अव्यय (particle)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• bhāsitaḥ: was illumined, was made to shine
• bhāsitaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāsita (भास् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः

• viśvakarmaṇā: by Viśvakarman
• viśvakarmaṇā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvakarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb)

• sākṣāt: directly, manifestly
• sākṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; साक्षात्-भावे (directly)

• prabhā-pātaḥ: the fall/descent of radiance
• prabhā-pātaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāta (पत् धातु-निष्पन्न/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रभायाः पातः)

• jātaḥ: arose, occurred
• jātaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jāta (जन् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• prābhāsikam: (the name) Prābhāsika
• prābhāsikam: Karma/Phala (Result/कर्म-फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prābhāsika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• tataḥ: therefore, from that
• tataḥ: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source/हेतु-अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prābhāsika (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Sun over Prabhāsa appears unusually resplendent, as if polished by Viśvakarman; a visible cascade of light descends onto the kṣetra like a golden rain.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Sūrya (Bhānu)
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are marked by manifest divine signs—here, extraordinary solar radiance and a ‘prabhāpāta’ that sanctifies the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prābhāsika/Prabhāsa Kṣetra, characterized by exceptional solar brilliance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is mentioned; the verse provides an etymological and theophanic explanation.