Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

शरणं ते वयं प्राप्ता ब्राह्मणेभ्यो भयं गताः । नास्ति वित्तं च दानार्थं तस्माद्रक्ष महोदधे

Transliteration

śaraṇaṃ te vayaṃ prāptā brāhmaṇebhyo bhayaṃ gatāḥ | nāsti vittaṃ ca dānārthaṃ tasmādrakṣa mahodadhe

Translation

قد جئنا إليك ملجأً، وقد استولى علينا الخوفُ من البراهمة. لا مالَ لنا بقي لنعطيه صدقةً؛ فاحفظنا إذن، يا أيها المحيطُ العظيم.

Word by Word

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative singular (गतिविशेषे/प्राप्त्यर्थे)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन = Genitive singular; 'of you/your'

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन = Nominative plural (1st person pronoun)

• प्राप्ताः: have attained/reached
• प्राप्ताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन = Masculine nominative plural; क्रियार्थे: 'have reached'

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: from the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन = Masculine, Ablative plural

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative singular

• गताः: have come to (fear)
• गताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन = Masculine nominative plural; 'gone/come to' (i.e., seized by)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) = negation particle

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन = Present, 3rd person singular; 'is/exists'

• वित्तम्: wealth
• वित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Neuter, Nominative singular

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

• दानार्थम्: for giving (as donation)
• दानार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative singular; तत्पुरुषः: दानस्य अर्थः/दानार्थम् = 'for the purpose of giving'

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन = Ablative singular; 'therefore/from that'

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन = Imperative, 2nd person singular; परस्मैपद

• महोदधे: O great ocean
• महोदधे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन = Masculine, Vocative singular; कर्मधारयः: महा उदधिः

Speaker

Devas (addressing Sāgara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (Samudra-sannidhi)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devas, empty-handed and anxious, fold their palms to the Ocean, confessing lack of wealth for gifts and begging protection from brāhmaṇic wrath.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brāhmaṇas
• Mahodadhi/Sāgara (Ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Failing to plan for dharmic giving creates anxiety; refuge is sought when obligations are unmet.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Prabhāsa-kṣetra episode is continued, with the nearby ocean presented as a consequential refuge-space in the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charitable giving/dakṣiṇā) is acknowledged as obligatory, though the devas claim inability due to lack of wealth.