Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 199

Devanagari script

शूद्राश्चैवाभिलषितान्कामान्प्राप्स्यंति भामिनि । अपमृत्युभयं घोरं मृत्युतोऽपि महाभयम्

Transliteration

śūdrāścaivābhilaṣitānkāmānprāpsyaṃti bhāmini | apamṛtyubhayaṃ ghoraṃ mṛtyuto'pi mahābhayam

Translation

يا أيتها المتألّقة، إن الشودرا أيضًا ينالون مقاصدهم المرغوبة؛ ويُدفَع عنهم الخوفُ الرهيب من الموت قبل الأوان—وهو أفظع من الموت نفسه.

Word by Word

• śūdrāḥ: Śūdras
• śūdrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• abhilaṣitān: desired
• abhilaṣitān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhilaṣita (कृदन्त; √laṣ (लष्) + abhi उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle)

• kāmān: desires
• kāmān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• prāpsyanti: will obtain
• prāpsyanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (आप्) + pra उपसर्ग
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• bhāmini: O fair lady
• bhāmini: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• apamṛtyu-bhayam: fear of untimely death
• apamṛtyu-bhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apa-mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'अपमृत्योः भयम्'

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• mṛtyutaḥ: from death
• mṛtyutaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (also/even)

• mahā-bhayam: great fear
• mahā-bhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'महच्च तत् भयम्'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice) addressing Devī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhāminī (addressed ‘O radiant lady’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble devotee (śūdra) prays at Prabhāsa; a dark specter labeled ‘apamṛtyu-bhaya’ dissolves in sunlight; the devotee receives a token of blessing, symbolizing fulfilled wishes and protection.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Śūdra
• Apamṛtyu (untimely death)
• Prabhāsakṣetra
• Arkasthala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The māhātmya’s grace is inclusive and protective, granting legitimate desires and guarding life from untimely peril.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arkasthala in Prabhāsakṣetra, whose praise is said to remove apamṛtyu-bhaya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly the continued practice of hearing/reciting/praising the māhātmya that yields these protective results.