Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 160

Devanagari script

अन्यत्र ब्राह्मणानां च कोटिना यत्फलं लभेत् । अर्कस्थले तथैकेन भोजितेन तु तत्फलम्

Transliteration

anyatra brāhmaṇānāṃ ca koṭinā yatphalaṃ labhet | arkasthale tathaikena bhojitena tu tatphalam

Translation

Das Verdienst, das man anderswo durch die Speisung eines Kror Brāhmaṇen erlangte—wird in Arkasthala durch die Speisung auch nur eines einzigen in gleicher Weise gewonnen.

Word by Word

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• कोटिना: by a crore (ten million)
• कोटिना: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/परिमाणवाचक (instrumental of measure)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अर्कस्थले: at Arka-sthala (Sun’s place)
• अर्कस्थले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्कस्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—अर्कस्य स्थलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• भोजितेन: by (a single) feeding/meal given
• भोजितेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भुज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle used substantively)

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from kṣetra-māhātmya merit-comparison statements)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arkasthala

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified inquirer

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Arkasthala, a pilgrim respectfully feeds a single brāhmaṇa; above, a symbolic scale shows the act equaling the feeding of countless brāhmaṇas elsewhere; Sūrya’s rays sanctify the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Arkasthala
• Prabhāsa
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity becomes exceptionally potent when performed in a highly sanctified kṣetra; place amplifies dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arkasthala within Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Feeding brāhmaṇas (bhojana-dāna), with a special statement of its amplified merit at Arkasthala.