Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

तं ज्ञात्वा धर्मराजस्तु बुद्ध्या परमया युतम् । चिंतयामास मेधावी लेख कोऽयं भवेद्यदि

Transliteration

taṃ jñātvā dharmarājastu buddhyā paramayā yutam | ciṃtayāmāsa medhāvī lekha ko'yaṃ bhavedyadi

Translation

Als er erkannte, dass jener mit höchster Einsicht begabt war, sann Dharmarāja, der Weise, nach: „Wenn dieser mein Schreiber (lekha) wäre, was ließe sich dann vollbringen?“

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc., accusative singular)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• धर्मराजः: Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य राजा)

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

• बुद्ध्या: with intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (fem., instrumental singular)

• परमया: supreme
• परमया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem., instrumental singular)

• युतम्: endowed (with)
• युतम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) / युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘युक्त’ (endowed/connected)

• चिन्तयामास: pondered/thought
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (he pondered)

• मेधावी: the intelligent one
• मेधावी: Karta (Subject-apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc., nominative singular)

• लेखः: a writing/record
• लेखः: Karma (Object of thought/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc., nominative singular)

• कः: who/what
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (interrogative pronoun)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc., nominative singular)

• भवेत्: might be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (might be)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional conjunction: if)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva), continuing narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharmarāja (Yama) observes Citra’s heightened intellect and contemplates appointing him as ‘lekha’ (scribe); imagery can include a ledger, stylus, and attendants (Citragupta-like iconography) while keeping Citra distinct.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja (Yama)
• Citra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True knowledge gains recognition even in cosmic governance; dharma values clarity, accuracy, and discerning intelligence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Prabhāsakṣetra setting is upheld as the backdrop that enabled Citra’s rise through Sūrya’s grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is narrative development showing the social/cosmic implications of the boon.