Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

वृद्धौ हर्षमवाप्नोति क्षये भवति दुःखितः । इत्येषा लौकिकी गाथा तत्ते दैत्य विपर्ययः

Transliteration

vṛddhau harṣamavāpnoti kṣaye bhavati duḥkhitaḥ | ityeṣā laukikī gāthā tatte daitya viparyayaḥ

Translation

„Im Gedeihen erlangt man Freude, im Niedergang wird man traurig“ — so lautet das weltliche Sprichwort. Doch für dich, o Dämon, ist es gerade umgekehrt.

Word by Word

• वृद्धौ: in increase / in prosperity
• वृद्धौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative)

• हर्षम्: joy
• हर्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• क्षये: in decline / loss
• क्षये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative)

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• दुःखितः: sorrowful
• दुःखितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; predicate adjective

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यन्त-निपात

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• लौकिकी: worldly / common
• लौकिकी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौकिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; agrees with गाथा

• गाथा: saying / verse
• गाथा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; here as 'that' (predicate)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive: 'of you/your')

• दैत्य: O demon
• दैत्य: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• विपर्ययः: the opposite / reversal
• विपर्ययः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Viṣṇu (Puṇḍarīkākṣa) to the daitya (Tala implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up tableau: Viṣṇu, calm and luminous, speaks a measured proverb; the demon, still pinned, listens with a surprised yet amused expression; the contrast between serenity and defiance is emphasized.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Daitya (Tala implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True spiritual orientation can invert worldly reactions; the verse sets up inquiry into the demon’s inner cause and destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya, linking instruction and sacred place-remembrance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed in this verse.