Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

दक्षिणार्थं समुत्पेतुः सुरानुद्दिश्य पृष्ठतः

Transliteration

dakṣiṇārthaṃ samutpetuḥ surānuddiśya pṛṣṭhataḥ

Translation

Sie erhoben sich hinter ihnen, auf die Götter ausgerichtet, in der Absicht, sich zu nähern, um die dakṣiṇā (Ehrengabe) zu empfangen.

Word by Word

• dakṣiṇārtham: for the fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇārtham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दक्षिणायाः अर्थः)

• samutpetuḥ: they sprang up/rose
• samutpetuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ut-√pat (धातु: पतने/उत्पतने)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• surān: the gods
• surān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• uddiśya: having addressed/aimed at
• uddiśya: Purvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु: निर्देशने)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• pṛṣṭhataḥ: from behind
• pṛṣṭhataḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिलन्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘from behind/at the back’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of brāhmaṇas rise and move behind the assembly, intent on approaching the devas to receive dakṣiṇā; the seashore tīrtha ambience of Prabhāsa frames the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Devas (Suras)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse reflects the social-religious custom of dakṣiṇā, while the wider narrative invites reflection on intention, purity, and consequence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, presented as a sacred arena where divine and human exchanges occur.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dakṣiṇā (a gift/honorarium following a religious act such as hospitality or ritual) is referenced as a customary practice.