Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । अहोरात्रेक्षणपरो वेदांगश्रुतिभूषणः । आज्यनासः स्रुवतुडः सामघोषस्वनो महान्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | ahorātrekṣaṇaparo vedāṃgaśrutibhūṣaṇaḥ | ājyanāsaḥ sruvatuḍaḥ sāmaghoṣasvano mahān

Translation

اِیشور نے فرمایا: دن اور رات اُس کی نگاہ تھے؛ ویدانگ اور شروتی اُس کے زیور تھے۔ آجیہ (گھی) اُس کی خوشبو تھی؛ سُروَ (چھوٹا ہَوَن چمچ) اُس کا اَنکُش تھا؛ سام گان کی آواز اُس کی عظیم گرج تھی۔

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: Īśvara
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (perfect, 3rd sg)

• aho-rātra-īkṣaṇa-paraḥ: intent on watching day and night
• aho-rātra-īkṣaṇa-paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aho-rātra + īkṣaṇa + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• veda-aṅga-śruti-bhūṣaṇaḥ: adorned with the Vedic limbs and śruti
• veda-aṅga-śruti-bhūṣaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda-aṅga + śruti + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• ājya-nāsaḥ: whose nose is ghee
• ājya-nāsaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ājya + nāsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• sruva-tuḍaḥ: whose goad/point is the sruva (spoon)
• sruva-tuḍaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sruva + tuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• sāma-ghoṣa-svanaḥ: whose sound is the chant of Sāman
• sāma-ghoṣa-svanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāman + ghoṣa + svana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• mahān: great
• mahān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varāha/yajña-puruṣa with eyes reflecting the cycle of day and night; body adorned with Vedāṅga and Śruti as jeweled garlands; a fragrance of ghee emanates; a sruva-ladle appears as a goad; the roar manifests as visible Sāman musical waves.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Yajñavarāha
• Ahorātra
• Vedāṅga
• Śruti
• Ājya (ghee)
• Sruva
• Sāman (Sāma-veda chants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scripture and sacred sound are portrayed as living power; mantra and yajña are divine manifestations, not mere forms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It continues the Yajñavarāha praise within the Prabhāsa/Karddamāla origin setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse elevates Sāman chanting and yajña implements as sacred, implying their sanctity in worship.