Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

प्रहस्त उवाच । राक्षसेश महाबाहो शिवक्षेत्रं निजं प्रभो । प्रभासेति समाख्यातं गणगन्धर्वसेवितम्

Transliteration

prahasta uvāca | rākṣaseśa mahābāho śivakṣetraṃ nijaṃ prabho | prabhāseti samākhyātaṃ gaṇagandharvasevitam

Translation

ப்ரஹஸ்தன் கூறினான்—ராக்ஷசேசா, மகாபாஹு பிரபுவே! இது சிவனுடைய சொந்த புனிதக் க்ஷேத்திரம். இது ‘ப்ரபாஸ’ எனப் புகழ்பெற்றது; கணங்களும் கந்தர்வர்களும் இங்கு சேவிக்கின்றனர்.

Word by Word

• प्रहस्तः: Prahasta
• प्रहस्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• राक्षसेश: O lord of the Rakshasas
• राक्षसेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (rākṣasānām īśaḥ)

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• महाबाहो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् बाहुः यस्य)

• शिवक्षेत्रम्: Shiva’s sacred field
• शिवक्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śivasya kṣetram)

• निजम्: own, proper
• निजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying śivakṣetram)

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रभास: Prabhāsa
• प्रभास: Pratipadya (Name/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• समाख्यातम्: called, named
• समाख्यातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of śivakṣetram)

• गणगन्धर्वसेवितम्: served by the Gaṇas and Gandharvas
• गणगन्धर्वसेवितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गण-गन्धर्व-सेवित (प्रातिपदिक; सेव् धातु + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (gaṇaiḥ gandharvaiś ca sevitam)

Speaker

Prahasta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rākṣaseśa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahasta proclaims before the rākṣasa-lord: ‘This is Prabhāsa, Śiva’s own kṣetra,’ while ethereal gaṇas and gandharvas appear in the air, indicating perpetual attendance.

Characters & Entities

• Prahasta
• Rāvaṇa
• Śiva
• Prabhāsa
• Gaṇas
• Gandharvas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true tīrtha is defined by divine ownership—Prabhāsa is proclaimed as Śiva’s own realm, worthy of reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, explicitly named and praised as Śiva’s sacred domain.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse establishes the site’s identity and sanctity.