Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

नान्यः समर्थो देवेशि गृह्णन्यात्यधमां गतिम् । तपसा पावितो देवि ब्राह्मणो धृतकिल्विषः

Transliteration

nānyaḥ samartho deveśi gṛhṇanyātyadhamāṃ gatim | tapasā pāvito devi brāhmaṇo dhṛtakilviṣaḥ

Translation

O Devī, Herrin des Herrn der Götter, kein anderer vermag es: Wer Gaben annimmt, kann in einen niedrigen Stand fallen. Doch ein Brāhmaṇa—durch Askese (tapas) geläutert, o Devī—wird selbst bei getragener Schuld von eben diesem Tapas getragen.

Word by Word

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

• अन्यः: another (person)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; English: masculine nominative singular

• समर्थः: capable
• समर्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्यः)

• देवेशि: O Deveśī
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; English: vocative singular 'O goddess, mistress of gods'

• गृह्णन्: accepting
• गृह्णन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि; English: present active participle nominative singular 'taking/accepting'

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; English: present indicative 3rd sg

• अधमाम्: lowest
• अधमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गतिम्)

• गतिम्: state/destination
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; English: feminine accusative singular

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

• पावितः: purified
• पावितः: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पू (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/कर्मकर्तरि; English: past passive participle nominative singular 'purified'

• देवि: O देवी
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन; English: vocative singular

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; English: masculine nominative singular

• धृतकिल्विषः: bearing sin (yet)
• धृतकिल्विषः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (कृदन्त; √धृ (धातु) + क्त) + किल्विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—किल्विषं धृतवान् (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय); विशेषणम् (ब्राह्मणः); English: masculine nominative singular 'bearing sin'

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as Deveśi/Devi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral-ethical teaching scene: Devī addressed as 'Deveśi' listens; a sage explains that gift-receiving can cause downfall, while a tapasvin brāhmaṇa remains purified; symbolic fire of tapas shown.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Brāhmaṇa
• Tapas
• Pratigraha (receiving gifts)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual fitness matters in transactions of giving and receiving; tapas is portrayed as a purifier that upholds brāhmaṇic integrity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the narrative frame, presenting dharma-guidance for pilgrims and householders.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied guidance on dāna/pratigraha ethics: gifts should be handled by those purified by tapas and right conduct.