Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अथ चिंतापरो विप्रः प्रायश्चित्तभयाद्ध्रुवम् । वीक्षांचक्रे वने तस्मिन्समेषु विषमेषु च

Transliteration

atha ciṃtāparo vipraḥ prāyaścittabhayāddhruvam | vīkṣāṃcakre vane tasminsameṣu viṣameṣu ca

Translation

Da wurde der Brahmane von Sorge überwältigt—gewiss aus Furcht vor dem Prāyaścitta, der Sühne—und durchsuchte jenen Wald, ebene Stellen wie auch unwegsames Gelände.

Word by Word

• अथ: then; now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपक्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (particle: then/now)

• चिन्ता-परः: absorbed in worry
• चिन्ता-परः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चिन्तायाः परः = intent on anxiety)

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रायश्चित्त-भयात्: from fear of expiation
• प्रायश्चित्त-भयात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रायश्चित्तस्य भयम्)

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: certainly)

• वीक्षाम्: a look; searching glance
• वीक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (object as cognate/inner object)

• चक्रे: he made; he cast (his gaze)
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-रूपं (irregular perfect: he did/made)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location-determiner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• समेषु: in level (places)
• समेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with implied स्थानेषु/प्रदेशेषु)

• विषमेषु: in uneven (places)
• विषमेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; विशेषण

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

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried brāhmaṇa-sage moves through dense forest, scanning valleys and rocky rises, crossing both smooth clearings and harsh uneven ground in urgent search.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra
• Forest (Vana)
• Prāyaścitta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual life carries accountability; when duty is disrupted, the dhārmic person responds with urgency, humility, and corrective effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda region’s forested sacred terrain forms the narrative backdrop, portraying the tīrtha-landscape as lived space for dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta (atonement) is referenced as a concern; no specific expiation rite is detailed in this verse.