Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

मुक्त्वैकां गुरुशुश्रूषां नान्यत्किंचिदसौ द्विजः । अकरोच्छोभनं कर्म दिवाप्रभृति नित्यशः

Transliteration

muktvaikāṃ guruśuśrūṣāṃ nānyatkiṃcidasau dvijaḥ | akarocchobhanaṃ karma divāprabhṛti nityaśaḥ

Translation

Abgesehen von einem einzigen Dienst an seinem Lehrer tat jener Brāhmaṇa nichts weiter von Wert. Vom Tagesanbruch an pflegte er Tag für Tag gewohnheitsmäßig unziemliches Verhalten.

Word by Word

• मुक्त्वा: having abandoned
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• एकाम्: one (only)
• एकाम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गुरुशुश्रूषाम्: service to the teacher
• गुरुशुश्रूषाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुरोः शुश्रूषा)

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किंचित्: something/anything
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• असौ: he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्विजः: the brāhmaṇa
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अकरोत्: did
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शोभनम्: good/auspicious
• शोभनम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कर्म: deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (by day/during daytime)

• प्रभृति: from (then) onward
• प्रभृति: Apadana (Starting point)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (postposition/adverb) = 'from, starting with'

• नित्यशः: constantly
• नित्यशः: Prakara (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner/frequency)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone brāhmaṇa at daybreak, turning away from sacred duties; the light of dawn contrasts with his shadowed, improper acts—an ethical chiaroscuro.

Characters & Entities

• guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglect of dharma—even with a token of good conduct—leads to habitual wrongdoing; sustained virtue is emphasized.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Prabhāsakṣetra narrative frame; the moral biography supports the later sanctity of Śūlasthāna through Vālmīki’s transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights guru-sevā as a key dharmic value and contrasts it with daily misconduct.