Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एवं कृत्वा विधानं तु स्पर्शयेल्लवणोदधिम् । मन्त्रेणानेन देवेशि ततः सांनिध्यतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

evaṃ kṛtvā vidhānaṃ tu sparśayellavaṇodadhim | mantreṇānena deveśi tataḥ sāṃnidhyatāṃ vrajet

Translation

یوں ودھی پوری کرکے نمکین سمندر کو چھوئے؛ اے دیویِ دیوان! اس منتر کے ساتھ پھر وہ الٰہی قرب (سانّिधیہ) حاصل کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (manner adverb): ‘thus’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having done’

• विधानम्: procedure; rite; arrangement
• विधानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): contrast/emphasis

• स्पर्शयेत्: should touch
• स्पर्शयेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लवण-उदधिम्: the salt ocean; sea
• लवण-उदधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लवणस्य उदधिः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्त्रेण: by (means of) a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun): ‘with this’

• देवेशि: O goddess (lady of the gods)
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (sequence adverb): ‘then; thereafter’

• सांनिध्यताम्: to (divine) presence; proximity
• सांनिध्यताम्: Gati/Prāpti-karman (Goal/गत्यर्थकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः लक्ष्य (goal)

• व्रजेत्: should go; should proceed
• व्रजेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Śiva to Devī (Pārvatī) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Lavaṇodadhi-sparśa

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After completing offerings, the devotee touches the ocean with reverence while chanting; a subtle divine radiance suggests sāṃnidhya, with the coastline and temple silhouette behind.

Characters & Entities

• Lavaṇodadhi (salt ocean)
• Sāṃnidhya (divine proximity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right action plus right mantra transforms a physical act (touching the sea) into communion with the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The lavaṇodadhi at Prabhāsa, approached through a complete ritual sequence culminating in mantra-recitation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Complete the vidhi, then touch the sea while reciting the specified mantra to obtain sāṃnidhya.