Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 117

Devanagari script

तस्मादेकैकशस्तेषां कर्त्तव्यं भक्षणं त्वया । नैकेन भवता शक्या विधातुं भक्षणक्रिया

Transliteration

tasmādekaikaśasteṣāṃ karttavyaṃ bhakṣaṇaṃ tvayā | naikena bhavatā śakyā vidhātuṃ bhakṣaṇakriyā

Translation

ฉะนั้นท่านพึงเสวยพวกเขาทีละองค์ เพราะการเสวยพร้อมกันทั้งหมดนั้นท่านย่อมกระทำมิได้

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय/तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: हेतौ अव्ययप्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from that reason')

• एकैकशः: one by one
• एकैकशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक-एक-शस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्

• कर्त्तव्यम्: to be done; should be done
• कर्त्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्तम् (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• भक्षणम्: the eating/devouring
• भक्षणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; √भक्ष् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• एकेन: by one (means/way)
• एकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्

• भवता: by you (sir)
• भवता: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• शक्याः: possible/feasible
• शक्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √शक् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (possible/able); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्; (भक्षणक्रियाः इति अन्वयः)

• विधातुम्: to arrange/perform
• विधातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√धा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (infinitive); कर्तुम्-अर्थे

• भक्षणक्रिया: the act of eating
• भक्षणक्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्षण-क्रिया (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (भक्षणस्य क्रिया)

Speaker

A Cāraṇa messenger (advising Viṣṇu/Janārdana)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The counsel is finalized: the flame-being is shown consuming a single deva while many remain waiting—an image of controlled, sequential action rather than mass destruction; Viṣṇu stands as regulator.

Characters & Entities

• Cāraṇas
• Suras (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Restraint and step-by-step action are dhārmic when the alternative creates chaos or harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra is the overarching sacred setting of this discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a policy of gradual execution (‘one by one’) rather than a liturgical instruction.