Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

केचिद्ध्यानरतास्तत्र केचिद्योगं समाश्रिताः । केचिद्व्याख्यां प्रकुर्वन्ति विचारमपि चापरे

Transliteration

keciddhyānaratāstatra kecidyogaṃ samāśritāḥ | kecidvyākhyāṃ prakurvanti vicāramapi cāpare

Translation

Einige waren dort in Meditation versunken, andere hatten Zuflucht zur yogischen Disziplin genommen. Manche gaben Unterweisung und Auslegung, während andere sich feiner Prüfung und Betrachtung widmeten.

Word by Word

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (some)

• dhyāna-ratāḥ: devoted to meditation
• dhyāna-ratāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (ध्येय/ध्यान-रत = devoted to meditation)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Desha-adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (there)

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम

• yogam: yoga
• yogam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• samāśritāḥ: have resorted to
• samāśritāḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śri (श्रि धातु) with sam-ā- (उपसर्ग) → samāśrita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (having resorted to)

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम

• vyākhyām: explanation/discourse
• vyākhyām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• prakurvanti: do/perform
• prakurvanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु) with pra- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• vicāram: inquiry/reflection
• vicāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vicāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/सम्भावनार्थक निपात (also/even)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• apare: others
• apare: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणवत् (others)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A broad courtyard or grove near the liṅga: some yogins sit motionless in meditation, others practice disciplined yoga; a few expound teachings to attentive listeners, while others engage in quiet philosophical reflection.

Characters & Entities

• muni
• yoga
• dhyāna
• vyākhyā
• vicāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A great tīrtha supports multiple authentic paths—meditation, yoga, teaching, and inquiry—within the umbrella of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, depicted as a living center of yogic and contemplative practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna), yogic discipline (yoga), and dharmic discourse (vyākhyā) are described as practices undertaken there.