Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । प्रभां पालय भो भानो संतोषेण परेण हि

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | prabhāṃ pālaya bho bhāno saṃtoṣeṇa pareṇa hi

Translation

พระอีศวรตรัสว่า “โอ้ ภานุ จงคุ้มครองพระภภาเถิด จงกระทำด้วยความสันโดษอันยิ่ง”

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (Lord Śiva)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

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

• प्रभाम्: Prabhā
• प्रभाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पालय: protect
• पालय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle/interjection)

• भानो: O Bhānu (Sun)
• भानो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• संतोषेण: with contentment
• संतोषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• परेण: supreme, excellent
• परेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhā-kṣetra / Prabhā-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira/Arjuna as addressed in surrounding verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maheśvara issues a calm but authoritative command to Bhānu: protect the luminous kṣetra named Prabhā with supreme contentment; the scene suggests a radiant solar presence receiving Śiva’s injunction.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Bhānu (Sūrya)
• Prabhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is fulfilled not only by action but by right inner disposition—service performed with saṃtoṣa (contentment) becomes spiritually elevating.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The command supports the unfolding of the Prabhāseśa tīrtha narrative on the Narmadā’s bank.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it is a divine injunction establishing guardianship and harmony.