Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

गभस्तिहस्तो ब्रह्मा च सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः । एकविंशतिरित्येष स्तव इष्टो महात्मनः

Transliteration

gabhastihasto brahmā ca sarvadevanamaskṛtaḥ | ekaviṃśatirityeṣa stava iṣṭo mahātmanaḥ

Translation

گبھستی ہست، برہما، اور وہ جسے سب دیوتا نمسکار کرتے ہیں—یہ ستوتی یوں اکیس (ناموں) پر مشتمل ہے اور اس مہاتما کو محبوب ہے۔

Word by Word

• गभस्तिहस्तः: one whose hands are rays
• गभस्तिहस्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gabhasti (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ray+hand)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः: saluted by all the gods
• सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + namas-kṛta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (नमस् + कृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण; तत्पुरुष (by all gods + saluted)

• एकविंशतिः: twenty-one
• एकविंशतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekaviṃśati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समास (eka+viṃśati = twenty-one)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्तवः: hymn
• स्तवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• इष्टः: dear / desired
• इष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (mahā + ātman)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A palm-leaf manuscript or temple priest reciting a 21-name hymn before a radiant Sūrya icon; devas in the sky offering flowers; a rosary marking the count.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Brahmā
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A structured, complete hymn—even if brief—can be a cherished and effective form of devotion when recited with faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where this defined Sūrya-stava is transmitted as part of the site’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The stava is identified as a 21-name hymn, implying a set recitation form for worship.