Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

समासक्तं यथा चित्तं जन्तोर्विषयगोचरे । यद्येवं ब्रह्मणि न्यस्तं को न मुच्येत बंधनात्

Transliteration

samāsaktaṃ yathā cittaṃ jantorviṣayagocare | yadyevaṃ brahmaṇi nyastaṃ ko na mucyeta baṃdhanāt

Translation

正如众生之心深深执著于诸根境界；若以同等之力安置于梵天（Brahmā），谁还能不从系缚中解脱？

Word by Word

• समासक्तम्: attached
• समासक्तम्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आसक्त (कृदन्त/विशेषण; √सञ्ज्/ससज् via आसक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'attached/engaged' (qualifies चित्तम्)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय = 'as/just as'

• चित्तम्: mind
• चित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• जन्तोः: of a being
• जन्तोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive = 'of a creature/person'

• विषय-गोचरे: in the field of sense-objects
• विषय-गोचरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः = तत्पुरुष (विषयाणां गोचरः = 'range of sense-objects')

• यदि: if
• यदि: Hetu (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय = conditional 'if'

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय = 'thus/in this way'

• ब्रह्मणि: in Brahman / in Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative = 'in Brahman / in Brahmā' (context-dependent)

• न्यस्तम्: placed / fixed
• न्यस्तम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + अस्/स्य (धातु; √अस् 'to place' via न्यस्) → न्यस्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'placed/fixed' (qualifies चित्तम् understood)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय = negative particle

• मुच्येत: would be freed
• मुच्येत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √मुच् = to be released

• बन्धनात्: from bondage
• बन्धनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ablative = 'from bondage'

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic image: the mind clinging to sense-objects is shown being turned and placed at the feet/lotus-seat of Brahmā, resulting in the breaking of chains (bondage).

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The same power of attachment that binds the mind to sense-objects can liberate when redirected toward the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, preparing for the description of Brahmā’s sacred seat near Somanātha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An inner discipline is prescribed: nyāsa of the mind—placing one’s attention and devotion upon Brahmā.