Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

ततः प्रभातसमय उदिते सूर्यमण्डले । सा वेश्या मामुवाचेदं कलधौतपलत्रयम्

Transliteration

tataḥ prabhātasamaya udite sūryamaṇḍale | sā veśyā māmuvācedaṃ kaladhautapalatrayam

Translation

Dann, in der Morgenröte, als die Sonnenscheibe aufstieg, sprach jene Kurtisane zu mir: „Hier sind drei Palas geläuterten Goldes…“

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/परिणाम (then)

• प्रभात-समये: at dawn-time
• प्रभात-समये: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभात (प्रातिपदिक) + समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; कालवाचक

• उदिते: when risen
• उदिते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदित (प्रातिपदिक/क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with सूर्यमण्डले)

• सूर्य-मण्डले: in the sun-disc
• सूर्य-मण्डले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• वेश्या: courtesan
• वेश्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• कल-धौत-पल-त्रयम्: three palas of purified gold
• कल-धौत-पल-त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल (प्रातिपदिक) + धौत (√धाव्/√धौ धातु + क्त) + पल (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्याविशिष्टं द्रव्यनाम (three palas of refined gold)

Speaker

Rājā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At sunrise, golden light enters the temple courtyard; a courtesan approaches the devotee, holding a small bundle or plate of refined gold; the devotee stands calm after night vigil, wife beside him; the moment is poised between temptation and virtue.

Characters & Entities

• Sun (Sūrya)
• Veśyā (courtesan)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

After worship, moral testing can appear through wealth; the narrative sets up discernment about purity of intention and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The events unfold in Prabhāsa Kṣetra as part of its māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it introduces a gift/transaction context (gold measured in palas) relevant to dharmic acceptance or refusal.