Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अतोऽर्थं प्रेषयामि त्वां कुरु पुत्रि स्वयंवरम् । वृद्धैरमात्यैः सहिता शीघ्रं गच्छावधारय

Transliteration

ato'rthaṃ preṣayāmi tvāṃ kuru putri svayaṃvaram | vṛddhairamātyaiḥ sahitā śīghraṃ gacchāvadhāraya

Translation

Darum sende ich dich aus: Tochter, richte selbst den Svayaṃvara (rituelle Gattenwahl) aus. Geh eilends, begleitet von betagten und vertrauenswürdigen Ministern—sei in dieser Sache entschlossen.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Discourse adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थक/तस्मात्-अर्थे — 'therefore/from this'

• अर्थम्: purpose/matter
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'purpose/matter'

• प्रेषयामि: I send
• प्रेषयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन — 'I send/dispatch'

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'you'

• कुरु: do/perform
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन — 'do/perform'

• पुत्रि: O daughter
• पुत्रि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन — 'O daughter'

• स्वयंवरम्: svayaṃvara (bride’s choice ceremony)
• स्वयंवरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'self-choice (of husband)'

• वृद्धैः: with elders
• वृद्धैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — 'with elders/by elders'

• अमात्यैः: with ministers
• अमात्यैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — 'with ministers'

• सहिता: accompanied
• सहिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √सह)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participial adjective), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — 'accompanied' (त्वम्-विशेषण)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्रम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — 'quickly'

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — 'go'

• अवधारय: understand/keep in mind
• अवधारय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + धृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — 'consider/understand/keep in mind'

Speaker

King (father of the maiden)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king orders his daughter to go forth and arrange a svayaṃvara, escorted by aged, trusted ministers; the scene shifts from anxiety to decisive movement.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Ministers (Amātyas)
• Svayaṃvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is supported by timely action, guidance of elders, and socially responsible decision-making.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The command occurs within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra glorification narrative, where sacred setting frames righteous conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The institution of svayaṃvara—formally arranging the maiden’s self-choice ceremony under proper guardianship.