Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

पौराणिकाः सुरर्षीणामा द्यानां चरितक्रियाः । दृष्ट्वा रामं द्विजाः सर्वे मधुपानारुणेक्षणम्

Transliteration

paurāṇikāḥ surarṣīṇāmā dyānāṃ caritakriyāḥ | dṛṣṭvā rāmaṃ dvijāḥ sarve madhupānāruṇekṣaṇam

Translation

পুরাণজ্ঞ ও দেব-ঋষিদের আচরণ-কর্মে পারদর্শী সেই ব্রাহ্মণরা, মধুপানে রক্তিম নয়ন রামকে (বলরামকে) দেখে সকলেই লক্ষ্য করলেন।

Word by Word

• पौराणिकाः: purāṇa-narrators, traditional storytellers
• पौराणिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौराणिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेष्यः ‘द्विजाः’ (apposition)

• सुरर्षीणाम्: of the divine sages
• सुरर्षीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः: सुराश्च ते ऋषयश्च/सुर-ऋषयः (divine seers); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• आद्यानाम्: of the ancient/primeval
• आद्यानाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘सुरर्षीणाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• चरितक्रियाः: (those who recount) the deeds and exploits
• चरितक्रियाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-रूप) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः: चरितस्य क्रियाः (deeds/acts of exploits); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘पौराणिकाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/वर्णन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वक्रिया

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) (of ‘dṛṣṭvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्विजाः: the brahmins
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘द्विजाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मधुपानारुणेक्षणम्: whose eyes were reddish from drinking mead
• मधुपानारुणेक्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक) + अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः: मधुपानेन अरुणे ईक्षणे यस्य (eyes reddened by drinking mead); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘रामम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Learned brāhmaṇas, experts in Purāṇas, turn their gaze toward Rāma/Balarāma entering; his eyes are reddish, his demeanor heavy; the assembly’s faces show surprise and concern, sensing a breach of sacred decorum.

Characters & Entities

• Balarāma (Rāma)
• Dvijas
• Sura-ṛṣis (divine seers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the mighty are accountable to dharma; impairment (madya) becomes a cause of moral lapse and subsequent repentance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the narrative sets the stage for repentance and expiation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not yet; this verse prepares for the later mention of prāyaścitta (expiation).