Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अप्रतर्क्यमनुच्चार्यं कलनाकालवर्जितम् । निःशब्दं निश्चलं सौम्यं देहातीतं परात्परम्

Transliteration

apratarkyamanuccāryaṃ kalanākālavarjitam | niḥśabdaṃ niścalaṃ saumyaṃ dehātītaṃ parātparam

Translation

祂不可思议，亦不可称说；离诸计量与时间，寂然无声，安住不动，柔和清净；超越色身，乃至上之上、无上至尊。

Word by Word

• apratarkyam: not reachable by reasoning
• apratarkyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (निषेध) + pratarkya (कृदन्त; √tर्क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्रतर्क्य’ (inferable/arguable) इत्यस्य निषेधः

• anuccāryam: not pronounceable
• anuccāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an- (निषेध) + uccārya (कृदन्त; √car/√car?; here √car in causative sense ‘to utter’ via √car/√car?; standard: √car is not; better: √car is move; utter = √car?; accepted as √car?;)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘उच्चार्य’ (to be pronounced) इत्यस्य निषेधः; कृदन्त-विशेषण

• kalanā-kāla-varjitam: devoid of calculation and time
• kalanā-kāla-varjitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalanā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (कृदन्त; √vṛj)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘कलना-कालयोः वर्जितम्’ इति; कृदन्त (वर्जित)

• niḥśabdam: soundless
• niḥśabdam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis-/niḥ (उपसर्ग) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण — ‘शब्दरहितम्’

• niścalam: motionless
• niścalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis-/niḥ (उपसर्ग) + cala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘चल’ (moving) इत्यस्य निषेधार्थक-उपसर्ग; विशेषण

• saumyam: gentle/benign
• saumyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• deha-atītam: beyond the body
• deha-atītam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (कृदन्त; √i + ati)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘देहात् अतीतम्’ इति; कृदन्त (अतीत)

• parāt-param: beyond the supreme
• parāt-param: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘परात् परम्’ (beyond the beyond/supreme beyond)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A still, moonlit seashore at Prabhāsa; the Somnātha liṅga in a quiet sanctum; the deity suggested through radiance and stillness rather than form—devotees in mauna with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation-oriented contemplation: the highest reality is beyond time, speech, and bodily identity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where Śiva is revered as parātpara (beyond the highest).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is prescribed; the verse supports silent contemplation and detachment.