Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । तज्जानंतः कथं राजन्गृह्णीमस्ते प्रतिग्रहम्

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | tajjānaṃtaḥ kathaṃ rājangṛhṇīmaste pratigraham

Translation

Die Weisen sprachen: „Da wir jene Wahrheit kennen, o König, wie könnten wir deine Gabe annehmen?“

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जानन्तः: knowing
• जानन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ऋषयः)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• गृह्णीमः: do we accept
• गृह्णीमः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रतिग्रहम्: a gift/acceptance of a gift
• प्रतिग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (the Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sages respond in unison, palms raised in refusal; their faces are serene but firm. The king pauses, surprised, offerings still displayed behind him.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣi
• Rājā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment is part of dharma: the wise may refuse a gift if accepting it would violate righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The exchange occurs within the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, tied to the sacred geography of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A negative prescription: not all dāna is to be accepted; refusal can be dharmic.