Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

देशाचाराञ्ज्ञा तिधर्माञ्जपं होमं च मंगलम् । दैवतेज्यां विधानेन शौचं कुर्वंति ये जनाः । लोकापवादभीता ये पुमांसस्तेषु मा विश

Transliteration

deśācārāñjñā tidharmāñjapaṃ homaṃ ca maṃgalam | daivatejyāṃ vidhānena śaucaṃ kurvaṃti ye janāḥ | lokāpavādabhītā ye pumāṃsasteṣu mā viśa

Translation

Begib dich nicht unter jene Männer, die—kundig der Landesbräuche und der Satzungen des Dharma—nach Vorschrift Japa, Homa, glückverheißende Riten und die Verehrung der Gottheiten vollziehen, Reinheit wahren und aus Furcht vor öffentlichem Tadel handeln.

Word by Word

• deśa-ācārān: local customs
• deśa-ācārān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—देशस्य आचाराः

• jñātī-dharmān: duties of one’s kin/tradition
• jñātī-dharmān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāti + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—ज्ञातीनां धर्माः (family/kin duties)

• japam: japa (muttered prayer)
• japam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• homam: fire-offering
• homam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• maṅgalam: auspicious rites
• maṅgalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• daivatejyām: worship of the deity
• daivatejyām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daivata + ijyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—दैवतस्य इज्या (worship of deity)

• vidhānena: according to rule / by prescribed procedure
• vidhānena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• śaucam: purity/cleanliness
• śaucam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śauca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kurvanti: do / perform
• kurvanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• janāḥ: people
• janāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• loka-apavāda-bhītāḥ: afraid of public censure
• loka-apavāda-bhītāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka + apavāda + bhīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √bhī)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—लोकस्य अपवादः तस्मात् भीताः

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• pumāṃsaḥ: men
• pumāṃsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• teṣu: among them
• teṣu: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• mā: do not
• mā: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive)

• viśa: enter
• viśa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: viś (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (deduced from surrounding dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of men perform elaborate rites—homa smoke, japa beads, orderly pūjā—while glancing anxiously at onlookers; a pilgrim quietly turns away seeking a more sincere ascetic by the tīrtha.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through purity, disciplined worship, and right conduct; one should avoid causing disturbance or transgression among the strictly observant.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya, tied to the sanctity of Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa (mantra recitation), homa (oblations into fire), maṅgala-kriyā (auspicious rites), and devatā-ijyā (deity worship) performed with śauca (purity) and proper vidhi.