Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

मूलाच्छाखाः प्रशाखाश्च भवंति बहुशस्ततः । वासुदेवात्समुद्भूतं जगदेतच्चराचरम्

Transliteration

mūlācchākhāḥ praśākhāśca bhavaṃti bahuśastataḥ | vāsudevātsamudbhūtaṃ jagadetaccarācaram

Translation

ดุจรากเดียวแตกกิ่งและกิ่งย่อยมากมายนัก ฉันใด จากวาสุเทวะก็อุบัติขึ้นซึ่งจักรวาลทั้งปวงนี้ ทั้งสรรพชีวิตที่เคลื่อนไหวและไม่เคลื่อนไหว ฉันนั้น

Word by Word

• मूलात्: from the root
• मूलात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• शाखाः: branches
• शाखाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रशाखाः: sub-branches
• प्रशाखाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भवन्ति: arise/come to be
• भवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• बहुशः: in many ways/many times
• बहुशः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: many times/in many ways)

• ततः: therefrom
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्/ततः इति अव्यय (from there/from that)

• वासुदेवात्: from Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• समुद्भूतम्: arisen/originated
• समुद्भूतम्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जगत्-विशेषण (arisen)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जगत्-विशेषण (this)

• चराचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चराचरम्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चरं च अचरं च) जगत्-विशेषण

Speaker

Pretas (Candraśarman’s forefathers)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tree rises from a luminous root labeled Vāsudeva; countless beings—gods, humans, animals, rivers, mountains—appear as branches and leaves, indicating cara and acara.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• jagat
• carācaram

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vāsudeva is presented as the ultimate source, with all gods and worlds understood as derivative—supporting a Vāsudeva-centered devotional theology.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is upheld as the seat of Vāsudeva, whose cosmic status grounds the Māhātmya of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse establishes theology (Vāsudeva as the root) that underpins worship practice.