Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

ते शंकमानास्त्वन्योन्यं पर्यपृच्छन्द्विजोत्तमाः । चक्रुस्ते शपथान्सर्वे यथान्यायं च भामिनि

Transliteration

te śaṃkamānāstvanyonyaṃ paryapṛcchandvijottamāḥ | cakruste śapathānsarve yathānyāyaṃ ca bhāmini

Translation

ولمّا ساورهم الشكّ بعضُهم في بعض، تساءل أولئك السادة من ذوي الولادتين فيما بينهم؛ ثم أقسموا جميعًا أيمانًا جليلة على وفق القاعدة القويمة، يا أيتها المرأة المتّقدة العاطفة.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• शंकमानाः: suspecting
• शंकमानाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• अन्योन्यम्: each other (mutually)
• अन्योन्यम्: Adhikarana/Prayojana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• पर्यपृच्छन्: asked (around/inquired)
• पर्यपृच्छन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (उत्तमाः द्विजाः)

• चक्रुः: made/did
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (पुनरुक्ति)

• शपथान्: oaths
• शपथान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• न्यायम्: proper rule/justice
• न्यायम्: Adverbial
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (accusative of manner)

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

• भामिनि: O fair lady
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages, hands raised in oath-gesture, some touching water or holding kamaṇḍalus; faces stern yet controlled; the sacred shore acts as witness; tension is disciplined, not chaotic.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijottamas
• Śapatha (oath)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires orderly inquiry and truthful oaths; even in tension, disputes should follow nyāya (right procedure).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The event is set in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, showing how sacred places demand heightened truthfulness and ethical conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śapatha (solemn oath-taking) is performed as a dharmic method to address wrongdoing.