Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 126

Devanagari script

ततस्तान्विबुधान्दृष्ट्वा प्रोवाच स तु वाडवः । किमिदानीं मया कार्यं भवतां कथ्यतां हि तत्

Transliteration

tatastānvibudhāndṛṣṭvā provāca sa tu vāḍavaḥ | kimidānīṃ mayā kāryaṃ bhavatāṃ kathyatāṃ hi tat

Translation

அந்த தேவர்களைப் பார்த்த வாடவன் கூறினான்—“இப்போது நான் என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும்? உங்கள் பொருட்டு செய்ய வேண்டியதைத் தெளிவாகச் சொல்லுங்கள்।”

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'then'

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• vibudhān: the gods
• vibudhān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; 'having seen'

• provāca: said, spoke forth
• provāca: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): 'but/indeed'

• vāḍavaḥ: Vāḍava (a being named Vāḍava)
• vāḍavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāḍava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (time adverb): 'now'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥-karana (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे (1st person pronoun), तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• kāryam: (the) task to be done
• kāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'to be done' (gerundive sense)

• bhavatām: of you (all)
• bhavatām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; आदरार्थे 'you (all)'

• kathyatām: let it be told
• kathyatām: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; 'let it be told'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): 'indeed/for'

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'that (matter)'

Speaker

Vāḍava (personified submarine fire)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāḍava—personified as a fierce, flame-bodied being—addresses the devas with controlled intensity, awaiting instruction amid a coastal-cosmic backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Vāḍava
• Vibudha (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic agent seeks right instruction before acting—humility and readiness to serve righteous purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Prabhāsakṣetra; this verse advances the Prabhāsa māhātmya narrative rather than naming a sub-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative moment of seeking guidance and declaring willingness to act.