Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

धर्मश्रवणसंयुक्तं कार्यं प्रेक्षणकं विभोः । ततो दद्याद्द्विजातिभ्यस्तपस्विभ्यश्च शक्तितः

Transliteration

dharmaśravaṇasaṃyuktaṃ kāryaṃ prekṣaṇakaṃ vibhoḥ | tato dadyāddvijātibhyastapasvibhyaśca śaktitaḥ

Translation

Man soll für den Herrn eine heilige Darbietung veranstalten, verbunden mit dem Hören des Dharma. Danach gebe man nach Kräften Gaben an die Zweimalgeborenen und an die Asketen.

Word by Word

• dharmaśravaṇasaṃyuktam: connected with hearing of dharma
• dharmaśravaṇasaṃyuktam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (धर्म) + śravaṇa (श्रवण) + saṃyukta (संयुक्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मश्रवणेन संयुक्तम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कार्यं विशेषयति)

• kāryam: a thing to be done/should be performed
• kāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (कार्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prekṣaṇakam: a spectacle/observance for viewing
• prekṣaṇakam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prekṣaṇaka (प्रेक्षणक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कार्यं विशेषयति)

• vibhoḥ: of the Lord
• vibhoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (विभु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण — 'then/thereafter'

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• dvijātibhyaḥ: to the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• dvijātibhyaḥ: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvijāti (द्विजाति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• tapasvibhyaḥ: to ascetics
• tapasvibhyaḥ: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (तपस्विन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• śaktitaḥ: according to one’s capacity
• śaktitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/Measure)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śakti (शक्ति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) — 'according to ability'

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred performance (prekṣaṇaka)—devotional drama or recitation—unfolds in a temple courtyard; listeners sit attentively as dharma is expounded; afterward, pilgrims distribute gifts to brāhmaṇas and austere sages, offering cloth bundles and food with bowed heads.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhu (the Lord—Śiva implied)
• Dvijātis
• Tapasvins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True pilgrimage combines devotion with dharma-learning and compassionate giving to worthy recipients.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where dharma-śravaṇa and dāna are framed as integral to the tīrtha’s merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Conduct a dharma-centered religious presentation and then give gifts to dvijātis and tapasvins according to one’s means.