Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

पूर्वरात्रांतरात्रेषु द्विजैर्यस्य विधीयते । स राजा सह राष्ट्रेण वर्धते ब्रह्मतेजसा

Transliteration

pūrvarātrāṃtarātreṣu dvijairyasya vidhīyate | sa rājā saha rāṣṭreṇa vardhate brahmatejasā

Translation

Jener König, für den die Zweimalgeborenen in der ersten und mittleren Nachtwache die Riten vollziehen, gedeiht mitsamt seinem Reich durch den Glanz der brahmanischen Geisteskraft.

Word by Word

• pūrva: former/previous
• pūrva: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; विशेषण (rātrāntareṣu)

• rātrāntareṣu: in the intervals of the night
• rātrāntareṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रात्र्यन्तर = रात्रेः अन्तरम्)

• dvijaiḥ: by the twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृसाधन (agent/instrument)

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक

• vidhīyate: is performed/ordained
• vidhīyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vidhā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saḥ: he/that
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अन्वादेश

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकारक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable), तृतीयासहयोगी

• rāṣṭreṇa: with the kingdom
• rāṣṭreṇa: Sahārtha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सह-योगे

• vardhate: grows/prospers
• vardhate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• brahmatejasā: by the splendor of Brahman (brahminical power)
• brahmatejasā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः तेजः)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from nearby verses identifying Brāhmaṇas as Śiva’s form)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience including patrons/rulers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night in Prabhāsa: brāhmaṇas perform rites in the first and middle watches; oil lamps glow; the king’s city is shown bright and orderly, crops abundant—visualizing ‘brahma-tejas’ as a golden aura spreading over the realm.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Rājā
• Rāṣṭra
• Brahma-tejas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting dharmic ritual life strengthens both ruler and realm through brahma-tejas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a field where dharma and ritual power flourish.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of rites by dvijas during night watches (implying japa, homa, or protective recitations) for the king’s welfare.