Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

ततस्तूर्यशताकीर्णं नटनर्त्तकसंकुलम् । प्रावर्त्तत महापानं प्रभासे तिग्मतेजसाम्

Transliteration

tatastūryaśatākīrṇaṃ naṭanarttakasaṃkulam | prāvarttata mahāpānaṃ prabhāse tigmatejasām

Translation

Dann begann in Prabhāsa, umtost von Hunderten von Instrumenten und umringt von Schauspielern und Tänzern, ein großes Trinkgelage unter jenen von schneidender Strahlkraft.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = thereafter

• तूर्यशताकीर्णम्: filled with hundreds of instruments
• तूर्यशताकीर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + ākīrṇa (कृदन्त; ā-√kṝ (कॄ) / √kṝ? ‘to scatter’ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तूर्यशतेन आकीर्णम्’ = filled with hundreds of musical instruments (qualifies महापानम्)

• नटनर्तकसंकुलम्: crowded with actors and dancers
• नटनर्तकसंकुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + nartaka (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘नटैः नर्तकैः च संकुलम्’ = crowded with actors and dancers (qualifies महापानम्)

• प्रावर्तत: began
• प्रावर्तत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛt (वृत्) (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘it began/started’

• महापानम्: a great drinking bout
• महापानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘महच्च तत् पानम्’ (a great drinking bout)

• प्रभासे: in Prabhāsa
• प्रभासे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण = in Prabhāsa

• तिग्मतेजसाम्: of the fierce/bright ones
• तिग्मतेजसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tigma-tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘तिग्मं तेजो येषाम्’ (of the sharp-radiant ones); genitive of possessors/participants

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Prabhāsa, a grand revel begins: dense crowds, dancers and actors, and a storm of drums, conches, cymbals, and lutes—splendor edged with impending calamity.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa
• Vṛṣṇis/Yādavas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the mighty fall when self-control is lost; indulgence can become the doorway through which kāla manifests its decree.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra—well known as a powerful coastal tīrtha—serves as the stage of this pivotal episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; rather than prescribing, the verse narrates a conduct (mahāpāna) that contrasts with tīrtha-dharma.