Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अर्करूपी यतः सूर्यस्तत्र जातो महीतले । तस्मात्त्याज्यः सदा चार्को भोजनेऽत्र न संशयः

Transliteration

arkarūpī yataḥ sūryastatra jāto mahītale | tasmāttyājyaḥ sadā cārko bhojane'tra na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

ولمّا تجلّت الشمسُ هناك على الأرض في هيئة أركا (Arka)، لذلك يجب في هذا الموضع أن يُجتَنَب دائماً أكلُ الأركا (نبات arka)، ولا شكّ في ذلك.

Word by Word

• अर्करूपी: having the form of Arka (sun-plant)
• अर्करूपी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्क-रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक; अर्क + रूपिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सूर्यस्य)

• यतः: since/because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणार्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (since/because)

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• जातः: was born/arose
• जातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जन्म प्राप्तः/उत्पन्नः’

• महीतले: on the surface of the earth
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही-तल (प्रातिपदिक; मही + तल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति निपातवत् अव्ययप्रयोगः; अपादानार्थक (therefore/from that reason)

• त्याज्यः: to be avoided
• त्याज्यः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) → त्याज्य (कृदन्त/तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (अर्कस्य)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अर्कः: arka (sun-plant)
• अर्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भोजने: in eating/at meals
• भोजने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• न: not/no
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Arka-janma/manifestation spot)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene: the Sun’s manifestation is indicated at a marked spot; a teacher-figure instructs pilgrims, gesturing away from arka-plant food, emphasizing restraint and purity.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya (Arka)
• Arka (plant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence for a deity’s manifestation can create specific local disciplines (niyama), including dietary restraints.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the Sun is said to have manifested as Arka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear niyama: avoid consuming food associated with arka (especially arka-leaves/arka-plates) in that sacred area.