Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

महर्षेस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा नाभागः स विषादवान् । चिन्तयामास दुःखार्तः सामात्यः सपुरोहितः

Transliteration

maharṣestadvacaḥ śrutvā nābhāgaḥ sa viṣādavān | cintayāmāsa duḥkhārtaḥ sāmātyaḥ sapurohitaḥ

Translation

Als Nabhāga die Worte des großen Weisen hörte, sank er mutlos nieder. Von Kummer bedrängt, begann er zu beraten—mit seinen Ministern und dem königlichen Priester.

Word by Word

• महर्षेः: of the great sage
• महर्षेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वचः-विशेषण)

• वचः: speech; words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund/Absolutive): 'having heard'

• नाभागः: Nābhāga
• नाभागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Anuvartaka (अनुवर्तक/subject-pronoun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विषादवान्: full of dejection
• विषादवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषादवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नाभागस्य)

• चिन्तयामास: pondered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दुःखार्तः: afflicted by sorrow
• दुःखार्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सामात्यः: together with his ministers
• सामात्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'अमात्यैः सह' इत्यर्थे बहुव्रीहिः

• सपुरोहितः: together with his priest
• सपुरोहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'पुरोहितेन सह' इत्यर्थे बहुव्रीहिः

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried king Nabhāga sits in council, head bowed, surrounded by ministers and the royal priest; the atmosphere is tense, with the sacred landscape of Prabhāsa hinted in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Nabhāga
• Mahārṣi (Āpastamba)
• Ministers (amātyas)
• Purohita

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma becomes subtle, one should not act impulsively; sober reflection with qualified counsel is itself a righteous step.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the story illustrates that sacred places foster dharmic introspection and careful resolution.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; the emphasis is on deliberation (cintā) with ministers and the purohita before acting.