Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

यस्मादनेन प्रथमा आपो भक्ष्या न तत्रगाः । प्राणिनस्तन्न भेतव्यं भवद्भिस्तु ममाज्ञया

Transliteration

yasmādanena prathamā āpo bhakṣyā na tatragāḥ | prāṇinastanna bhetavyaṃ bhavadbhistu mamājñayā

Translation

ஏனெனில் இந்த அக்னியால் அங்குள்ள நீர் முன்புபோல் உண்டாக்கப்படாது; ஆகவே உயிரினங்கள் அஞ்ச வேண்டாம்—என் ஆணையின்படி நீங்கள் அச்சமின்றி இருங்கள்.

Word by Word

• yasmāt: because/from which
• yasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादान), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (from which/because)

• anena: by this
• anena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (by this/with this)

• prathamāḥ: first/earlier
• prathamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (āpaḥ प्रति)

• āpaḥ: waters
• āpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (pluralia tantum)

• bhakṣyāḥ: edible/fit to be eaten
• bhakṣyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakṣya (प्रातिपदिक; √bhakṣ धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (āpaḥ = edible/fit to be eaten)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• tatragāḥ: present there
• tatragāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tatra + ga (प्रातिपदिक; √gam धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (āpaḥ प्रति) (those that go/are found there)

• prāṇinaḥ: living beings
• prāṇinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (that)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• bhetavyam: to be feared
• bhetavyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhī (धातु) + tavya (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः विधेयकृदन्तः (gerundive/passive necessity), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अर्थः—‘भेतव्यम्’ = ‘भयम् कर्तव्यम्’ (to be feared)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (all)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/भवद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; आदरार्थक-‘you’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारण/विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (of me/my)

• ājñayā: by (my) command
• ājñayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; करणार्थे (by order/command)

Speaker

Daityasūdana (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu epithet) speaking to the sea-creatures (deduced from immediate context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Daityasūdana speaks with calm authority; the fiery aura in the ocean becomes contained, and the sea-creatures settle, remaining in place without fear as cosmic order reasserts itself.

Characters & Entities

• Daityasūdana (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu epithet)
• Waters (Āpaḥ)
• Prāṇins (living beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protection: even dangerous powers are bounded by divine ordinance so that life may flourish without fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra’s oceanic sacred region where the Vāḍava fire is contained under divine command.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an assurance and a divine directive rather than a ritual instruction.