Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

गीतवाद्यरतस्तत्र वेश्यासु निरतो भृशम् । प्रजोपद्रवकृन्मूर्खः सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः

Transliteration

gītavādyaratastatra veśyāsu nirato bhṛśam | prajopadravakṛnmūrkhaḥ sarvadharmabahiṣkṛtaḥ

Translation

Dort verfiel er Gesang und Musik und hing sich maßlos an Kurtisanen. Als törichter Bedränger des Volkes war er von allem Dharma ausgeschlossen.

Word by Word

• गीतवाद्यरतः: fond of singing and instruments
• गीतवाद्यरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गीत-वाद्य-रत (प्रातिपदिक; गीत + वाद्य + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार/तत्पुरुषसमासः (गीतवाद्येषु रतः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वेश्यासु: among courtesans/prostitutes
• वेश्यासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निरतः: engaged, devoted
• निरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरत (कृदन्त; √रम् (धातु) + नि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण

• भृशम्: excessively
• भृशम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: greatly)

• प्रजोपद्रवकृत्: one who causes trouble to the people
• प्रजोपद्रवकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा-उपद्रव-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक; प्रजा + उपद्रव + कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रजानाम् उपद्रवः कृतः/कर्ता)

• मूर्खः: fool
• मूर्खः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः: excluded from all dharmas; outcast from righteousness
• सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-धर्म-बहिष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + धर्म + बहिष्कृत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेभ्यः धर्मेभ्यः बहिष्कृतः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king in Gandhāra surrounded by musicians and courtesans, while outside the palace the people suffer under oppressive rule; dharma personified as turning away.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Indulgence and oppression of others estrange a person from dharma and prepare the ground for suffering, highlighting the need for repentance and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader narrative belongs to Prabhāsa-kṣetra (near Somnātha), whose sanctity later becomes the turning point in the story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it describes the person’s adharmic lifestyle as narrative contrast to later worship.