Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण स्नानैर्दानैः पृथग्विधैः । तथा यज्ञैर्जपैर्होमैस्तत्र वृत्तिर्भवेन्नृणाम्

Transliteration

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa snānairdānaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ | tathā yajñairjapairhomaistatra vṛttirbhavennṛṇām

Translation

Dort wird die Lebensweise der Menschen geprägt durch Askese (tapas) und Brahmacarya, durch heilige Bäder und vielfältige Gaben; ebenso durch Yajñas, Japa (Mantra-Rezitation) und Homa (Feueropfer).

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with austerity)

• ब्रह्मचर्येण: by brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचर्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by celibacy/continence)

• स्नानैः: by baths
• स्नानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by baths)

• दानैः: by gifts
• दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by gifts/charity)

• पृथग्विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथग्विधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथग् (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural agreeing with स्नानैः/दानैः; ‘of various kinds’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपक्रम (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by sacrifices)

• जपैः: by japa (recitation)
• जपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by recitations)

• होमैः: by homa offerings
• होमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by oblations/fire-offerings)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there/in that time’)

• वृत्तिः: the way of life
• वृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (mode of life/occupation)

• भवेत्: would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg (would be/should be)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of men)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A montage-like depiction of dharmic life: ascetics in tapas, students in brahmacarya, pilgrims bathing, donors giving, priests performing homa, devotees doing japa—each vignette harmonized into one sacred panorama.

Characters & Entities

• Tapas
• Brahmacarya
• Snāna
• Dāna
• Yajña
• Japa
• Homa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic life is sustained through disciplined conduct and sacred acts—tapas, purity, charity, and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse outlines universal dharma-practices within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It commends snāna (sacred bathing), dāna (charity), yajña, japa, and homa as defining religious practices.