Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

विनष्टे भूतले देव अग्निष्टोमादिकाः क्रियाः । उच्छिद्यते ततोऽस्माकं नाशो नूनं भविष्यति

Transliteration

vinaṣṭe bhūtale deva agniṣṭomādikāḥ kriyāḥ | ucchidyate tato'smākaṃ nāśo nūnaṃ bhaviṣyati

Translation

“اے دیو! اگر زمین کی سطح تباہ ہو گئی تو اگنِشٹوم وغیرہ یَجْن کی رسومات منقطع ہو جائیں گی۔ جب وہ کٹ جائیں گی تو ہمارا زوال یقیناً ہو گا۔”

Word by Word

• vinaṣṭe: when (it is) destroyed
• vinaṣṭe: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naś (धातु) + vi (उपसर्ग) + ta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• bhūtale: on the earth/ground
• bhūtale: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (भू-तलम्)

• deva: O god
• deva: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• agniṣṭoma-ādikāḥ: beginning with Agniṣṭoma (rites)
• agniṣṭoma-ādikāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agniṣṭoma + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (अग्निष्टोमः आदिः येषाम्)

• kriyāḥ: ritual acts
• kriyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ucchidyate: is cut off/ceases
• ucchidyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु) + ut (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• tataḥ: therefore/then
• tataḥ: Hetu/Relation (Cause/connection)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thereupon/therefore')

• asmākam: of us/our
• asmākam: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• nāśaḥ: destruction
• nāśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nūnam: surely
• nūnam: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle/adverb of certainty)

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• bhaviṣyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas lament before Brahmā: the earth-altar is burning; sacrificial fires and altars fade; priests and implements appear as ghostly silhouettes, signifying rites being cut off and devas weakening.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā
• Agniṣṭoma (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Yajña and dharmic rites are portrayed as supports of cosmic harmony; when the world is destabilized, spiritual order collapses too.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa is the larger sacred setting; this verse emphasizes protecting dharma within that māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agniṣṭoma and allied Vedic rites are referenced as essential practices that must not be interrupted.