Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच । एवमुक्तः स भगवाञ्छंकरेण नृपोत्तम । ततस्तं पूजयामास ब्रह्मा पूर्वं सुभक्तितः

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca | evamuktaḥ sa bhagavāñchaṃkareṇa nṛpottama | tatastaṃ pūjayāmāsa brahmā pūrvaṃ subhaktitaḥ

Translation

ปุลัสตยะกล่าวว่า: “เมื่อศังกราตรัสดังนี้ โอ้ราชาผู้ประเสริฐ พรหมาจึงบูชาพระองค์ก่อนเป็นลำดับแรก ด้วยภักติอันงดงามยิ่ง”

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• उक्तः: addressed/spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शंकरेण: by Śaṅkara
• शंकरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समास (नृपाणाम् उत्तमः)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनुक्रमवाचक (then/thereupon)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पूजयामास: worshipped/honoured
• पूजयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/first)

• सुभक्तितः: out of great devotion
• सुभक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ; हेतुवाचक (from/with good devotion)

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda acala-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpottama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pulastya narrates to the king; within the narrated scene, Brahmā steps forward and performs the first pūjā to Śaṅkara with deep devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Brahmā
• Nṛpottama (a king, listener addressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest deities exemplify bhakti: Brahmā’s first worship of Śiva becomes the pattern for restoring dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda-khaṇḍa context glorifies the sanctity of Śaiva worship in the Arbuda region within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Commencing worship with heartfelt devotion (subhakti) to Śiva’s liṅga.