Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

शेष उवाच । प्रसादिता मया माता शापमुक्तिकृते पुरा । तयोक्तं ये तपोयुक्ता धर्मात्मानः सुसंयताः

Transliteration

śeṣa uvāca | prasāditā mayā mātā śāpamuktikṛte purā | tayoktaṃ ye tapoyuktā dharmātmānaḥ susaṃyatāḥ

Translation

舍沙说道：从前为求解除诅咒，我曾恭敬取悦我们的母亲。她便宣示：凡具苦行（tapas）、心住正法、且自制严谨者，必得所求的解脱。

Word by Word

• śeṣaḥ: Śeṣa
• śeṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (sg.)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (sg.)

• prasāditā: was propitiated/pleased
• prasāditā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sad (धातु) + prasādita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्गः (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (sg.); कर्मणि-प्रयोगे (passive participle): 'was propitiated'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instr./3rd), एकवचनम् (sg.)

• mātā: mother
• mātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (sg.)

• śāpamuktikṛte: for the sake of release from the curse
• śāpamuktikṛte: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa + mukti + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्गः (n.) चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dat./4th), एकवचनम् (sg.); तत्पुरुषसमासः (शाप-मुक्त्यर्थं कृतम्)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: 'formerly')

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Kartr (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (f.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instr./3rd), एकवचनम् (sg.)

• uktam: was said
• uktam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + ukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गः (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (sg.); कर्मणि-प्रयोगः: 'was said'

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), बहुवचनम् (pl.); सम्बन्धसूचकः (relative pronoun)

• tapaḥyuktāḥ: endowed with austerity
• tapaḥyuktāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapas + yukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), बहुवचनम् (pl.); विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (तपसा युक्ताः)

• dharmātmānaḥ: righteous-souled
• dharmātmānaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), बहुवचनम् (pl.); बहुव्रीहिसमासः (धर्मः आत्मा येषाम्)

• susaṃyatāḥ: well-restrained/self-controlled
• susaṃyatāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + saṃyata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त-प्रायः (सम्-√yam + क्त), पुंलिङ्गः (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), बहुवचनम् (pl.); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śeṣa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nāgas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śeṣa speaks with composed authority, recalling how he propitiated their mother; behind him, a symbolic vignette shows tapas—stillness, controlled breath, and a radiant aura of prasāda.

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa
• Mātā (mother)
• Nāgāḥ (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Release from bondage is linked to inner discipline—tapas, dharma-mindedness, and self-restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets the doctrinal condition; the ensuing verses locate the practice at Arbuda (Mount Arbuda).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) and saṃyama (restraint) are prescribed as qualifying practices.