Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

इन्द्र उवाच । वरं वरय राजर्षे यत्ते मनसि वर्त्तते । ब्रह्मविष्णुत्रिनेत्राणामहमीशो नृपोतम

Transliteration

indra uvāca | varaṃ varaya rājarṣe yatte manasi varttate | brahmaviṣṇutrinetrāṇāmahamīśo nṛpotama

Translation

อินทรากล่าวว่า: “โอ้ราชฤๅษี จงเลือกพรตามที่อยู่ในดวงใจของท่าน โอ้ราชาผู้ประเสริฐ ข้าคือผู้เป็นใหญ่เหนือพรหมา วิษณุ และผู้มีสามเนตร (ศิวะ)”

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

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

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वरय: choose
• वरय: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; √वृ (to choose)

• राजर्षे: O royal sage
• राजर्षे: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (राजा चासौ ऋषिश्च)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मनसि: in (your) mind
• मनसि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वर्तते: is present/exists
• वर्तते: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• ब्रह्मविष्णुत्रिनेत्राणाम्: of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and the three-eyed (Śiva)
• ब्रह्मविष्णुत्रिनेत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + त्रिनेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च त्रिनेत्रश्च)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ईशः: lord
• ईशः: Karta (Predicate noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• नृपोतम: O best of kings
• नृपोतम: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नृपाणाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Indra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra speaks confidently, offering any boon, portrayed as radiant and commanding; Ambārīṣa remains composed, creating tension between spectacle and serenity.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva (Trinetra)
• Ambārīṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It sets up a Purāṇic contrast: claims of power and authority are tested against the devotee’s discernment and higher spiritual aim.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified in this verse; it is part of the Arbuda-khaṇḍa’s didactic narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; Indra is urging the asking of a boon.