Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

सेव्याः श्रेयोऽर्थिभिः सन्तः पुण्यतीर्थे जलोपमाः । क्षणो पासनमप्यत्र न येषां निष्फलं भवेत्

Transliteration

sevyāḥ śreyo'rthibhiḥ santaḥ puṇyatīrthe jalopamāḥ | kṣaṇo pāsanamapyatra na yeṣāṃ niṣphalaṃ bhavet

Translation

„Wer das höchste Heil begehrt, soll die Heiligen dienen. In diesem heiligen Tīrtha sind sie wie lebensspendendes Wasser; selbst ein Augenblick des Dienstes hier bleibt niemals ohne Frucht.“

Word by Word

• sevyāḥ: worthy to be served
• sevyāḥ: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sev (सेव् धातु) + ya (य)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘to be served/should be served’

• śreyaḥ: the highest good
• śreyaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘अर्थिभिः’ इत्यस्य कर्म (the good)

• arthibhiḥ: by seekers (of good)
• arthibhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by seekers)

• santaḥ: the good (saints)
• santaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘good people/saints’

• puṇya-tīrthe: in the holy tīrtha
• puṇya-tīrthe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पुण्यं तीर्थम्’ (holy ford/place); अधिकरण (in/at)

• jala-upamāḥ: like water (in purity/benefit)
• jala-upamāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jala + upamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘जलस्य उपमा’ (like water); ‘सन्तः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• kṣaṇaḥ: a moment
• kṣaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (even a moment)

• pāsanam: service, attendance
• pāsanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘सेवन/उपासना’ (service/attendance)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/अपि (even/also)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• yeṣām: of whom
• yeṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (of whom)

• niṣphalam: fruitless
• niṣphalam: Karma (Predicate/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣphala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘भवेत्’ इत्यस्य पूरक (fruitless)

• bhavet: would be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘would be/may become’

Speaker

Nṛpati (the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, still moved by what he saw, proclaims that holy men are like water in this tīrtha; a small vignette shows pilgrims offering water and food to ascetics near the shore/temple precinct.

Characters & Entities

• santaḥ (saints)
• puṇyatīrtha (holy tīrtha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to saints—especially at a holy place—yields unfailing spiritual fruit and leads seekers toward śreyas (the highest good).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, described as a puṇya-tīrtha where saintly association is exceptionally efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā/upāsanā: even brief attendance and service to holy persons at the tīrtha is recommended.