Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

मयापि स्थापिता चात्र ज्ञात्वा क्षेत्रमनुत्तमम् । किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन भवद्भिः सर्वथैव हि

Transliteration

mayāpi sthāpitā cātra jñātvā kṣetramanuttamam | kimatra bahunoktena bhavadbhiḥ sarvathaiva hi

Translation

ข้าพเจ้าก็ได้ประดิษฐานไว้ ณ ที่นี้ เพราะรู้ว่ากษेत्रนี้หาที่เปรียบมิได้ จะกล่าวมากไปไย? แท้จริงแล้วโดยประการทั้งปวง ที่นี่ประเสริฐยิ่งสำหรับท่านทั้งหลาย

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• स्थापिता: (was) established
• स्थापिता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थापित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘स्थापिता (अभूत्)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञात्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्तः—क्त्वा (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (क्षेत्रम्)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• बहुना: with much (talk)
• बहुना: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘बहु’ = much (as instrument: with much)

• उक्तेन: by what is said/with words
• उक्तेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘उक्त’ = speech/statement

• भवद्भिः: by you (honorific, plural)
• भवद्भिः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक ‘you’

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (for/indeed)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (deduced from immediate context of the adhyāya dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The narrator concludes: having recognized Prabhāsa as unsurpassed, he installs the icon there; the tone is final and assured, as if sealing a sacred decision for all future pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra (implied)
• the installed sacred image (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of a tīrtha is affirmed by divine choice: the deity’s own installation sanctifies the place as incomparable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, described as anuttama (unsurpassed).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pratiṣṭhā (installation/establishment) is referenced; no step-by-step rite is provided in this verse.