Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

यस्तु स्थितः सदाऽध्यात्मे नित्यं सद्भावभावितः । ब्राह्मणो हि महद्भूतं जन्मना सह जायते

Transliteration

yastu sthitaḥ sadā'dhyātme nityaṃ sadbhāvabhāvitaḥ | brāhmaṇo hi mahadbhūtaṃ janmanā saha jāyate

Translation

Wer aber stets im inneren Selbst (adhyātma) verweilt und immerfort von edler Gesinnung durchdrungen ist—ein solcher Brāhmaṇa wird mit der Größe selbst geboren.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-प्रोनाउन; English: masculine nominative singular 'who'

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• स्थितः: abiding
• स्थितः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि; English: past active participle nominative singular 'standing/abiding'

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• अध्यात्मे: in the spiritual self/inner reality
• अध्यात्मे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यात्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण; English: neuter locative singular

• नित्यम्: constantly
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययभावे द्वितीया एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषण); English: adverbial accusative 'constantly'

• सद्भावभावितः: imbued with true goodness
• सद्भावभावितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + भावित (कृदन्त; √भू/√भाव् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सद्भावेन भावितः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); विशेषणम् (यः/ब्राह्मणः); English: masculine nominative singular 'imbued with true being/good disposition'

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भूतम्)

• भूतम्: being/entity
• भूतम्: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम; English: neuter nominative singular, predicate noun

• जन्मना: by birth
• जन्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे; English: instrumental singular 'by birth'

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (preposition-like indeclinable)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; English: present indicative 3rd sg middle 'is born'

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative brāhmaṇa in yogic posture, eyes half-closed, heart-lotus motif glowing; subtle aura signifying ‘mahattva’; Prabhāsa’s coastal light and a distant liṅga shrine anchor the setting.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Adhyātma
• Sadbhāva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True stature comes from adhyātma (inner realization) and cultivated goodness, not merely from social identity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the setting; the verse frames inner purity as part of the kṣetra’s dharmic greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A spiritual discipline is implied: abiding in adhyātma and maintaining sadbhāva.