Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

आदिदेवस्य देवेशि महेशस्य महाप्रभोः । शक्या नैव गुणा वक्तुं वर्षाकोटिशतैरपि

Transliteration

ādidevasya deveśi maheśasya mahāprabhoḥ | śakyā naiva guṇā vaktuṃ varṣākoṭiśatairapi

Translation

لیکن اے دیوتاؤں کی دیوی! آدی دیو، مہیش، اس مہاپربھو کے اوصاف تو سینکڑوں کروڑ برسوں میں بھی بیان نہیں کیے جا سکتے۔

Word by Word

• आदिदेवस्य: of the primordial god
• आदिदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

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

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• महाप्रभोः: of the great lord
• महाप्रभोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शक्याः: are possible
• शक्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त; √शक् धातु, यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेयविशेषण

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• गुणाः: qualities
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वक्तुम्: to describe
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• वर्षाकोटिशतैः: by hundreds of crores of years
• वर्षाकोटिशतैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; साधन/परिमाणवाचक

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = even

Speaker

Śiva (continuation to Devī, vocative deveśi)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somēśvara/Somnath focus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotional tableau: Devī and Maheśa in serene dialogue; the verse’s sense is cosmic—Śiva’s qualities radiate as limitless light beyond the horizon of time, while Prabhāsa’s shoreline/temple silhouette is implied as the earthly anchor.

Characters & Entities

• Ādideva
• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Devī (deveśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme Lord’s greatness is infinite; devotion is nurtured by recognizing that divine qualities exceed all temporal and verbal limits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The praise is delivered within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya centered on Someśvara (Somnātha), reinforcing Śiva’s supremacy at this kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is theological stuti emphasizing contemplation and reverence for Mahādeva’s boundless attributes.