Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

ततस्त्रासाकुलो भूत्वा सर्वांस्तानिदमब्रवीत् । देवकार्यमिदं विप्रा मया कृतमबुद्धिना

Transliteration

tatastrāsākulo bhūtvā sarvāṃstānidamabravīt | devakāryamidaṃ viprā mayā kṛtamabuddhinā

Translation

Dann, von Furcht und Unruhe ergriffen, sprach er zu ihnen allen: „O Brāhmaṇas, dies war eine Tat um der Götter willen; doch ich habe sie töricht getan, ohne rechtes Unterscheidungsvermögen.“

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रम-अव्यय (then)

• त्रासाकुलः: agitated with fear
• त्रासाकुलः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रास-आकुल (प्रातिपदिक; त्रास + आकुल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (agitated by fear)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive): having become

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवकार्यम्: a divine task
• देवकार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; देव + कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (work of the gods)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Apposition/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विप्राः: O Brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), बहुवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त (क्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘done’

• अबुद्धिना: through ignorance
• अबुद्धिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + बुद्धि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण (with foolishness)

Speaker

Samudra (Sāgara), lord of rivers

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī (Varavarṇinī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Samudra, visibly shaken, addresses assembled brāhmaṇas with folded hands; the sea behind him churns lightly, mirroring inner agitation.

Characters & Entities

• Samudra (Sāgara)
• Devas
• Brāhmaṇas (Vipras)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even actions done for a divine cause must be guided by discernment (buddhi) and dharma, not panic or impulse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), the sacred coastal tīrtha where cosmic order and refuge-dharma are emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed in this verse; it introduces a dharmic confession and the ethical frame of the episode.