Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच । कथय त्वं सुरश्रेष्ठ मम सर्वं समाहितः । न गच्छेत्कर्मणा येन नरकं मानवः क्वचित्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca | kathaya tvaṃ suraśreṣṭha mama sarvaṃ samāhitaḥ | na gacchetkarmaṇā yena narakaṃ mānavaḥ kvacit

Translation

Der Brahmane sprach: „O Bester unter den Göttern, verkünde mir alles, während mein Geist gesammelt auf deine Worte gerichtet ist: Durch welches Verhalten fällt der Mensch durch seine Taten niemals in die Hölle?“

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन

• मम: my / for me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• समाहितः: attentive, composed
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि-विशेषण (as predicate of speaker: 'being attentive')

• न: not
• न: Discourse (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• गच्छेत्: would go / should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कर्मणा: by (some) action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरकम्: to hell
• नरकम्: Gati/Karma (Destination as object/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मानवः: a human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्वचित्: ever, at any time
• क्वचित्: Discourse (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (ever/anywhere)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa, hands folded, sits before a radiant deva (Yama in divine form), requesting the complete teaching to avoid hell; the setting hints at a sacred coastal grove.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Suraśreṣṭha (a divine being)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sincere seeker should ask about dharma with focused attention, aiming for conduct that prevents spiritual downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, which will soon specify the sacred site and its protective merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is an inquiry that sets up later instructions on worship and pilgrimage merit.