Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तत्र वर्षशतं साग्रं पुष्टिं नीता अजाः पृथक् । महानिधानसंस्थानमजापालेन निर्मिंतम्

Transliteration

tatra varṣaśataṃ sāgraṃ puṣṭiṃ nītā ajāḥ pṛthak | mahānidhānasaṃsthānamajāpālena nirmiṃtam

Translation

Dort wurden die Ziegen ein volles Jahrhundert und noch darüber hinaus, jede für sich, zur vollen Blüte und Gedeihlichkeit gebracht. Und der Ziegenhirt errichtete eine große Schatzstätte, eine wahrhafte Schatzanstalt.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वर्षशतम्: a hundred years
• वर्षशतम्: Karma (Extent/duration as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष-शत (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: वर्ष + शत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु: ‘शतं वर्षाणि’ (a hundred years)

• साग्रम्: and more (with an excess)
• साग्रम्: Karma (Qualifier of duration/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अग्रेण सहितम्’ (with an excess; more than)

• पुष्टिम्: nourishment
• पुष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नीताः: were led/brought
• नीताः: Karta (Predicate of ajāḥ/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) + क्त (Kṛdanta)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (having been led/brought)

• अजाः: goats
• अजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: separately)

• महानिधानसंस्थानम्: a great treasury/establishment
• महानिधानसंस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-निधान-संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: महा + निधान + संस्थान
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘महच्च तत् निधानं च’ इत्यर्थे समाहार-निर्देशः; वाक्ये कर्मरूपेण (a great treasury/establishment)

• अजापालेन: by the goatherd
• अजापालेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजा-पाल (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: अजा + पाल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; ‘अजानां पालः’ (goat-herd)

• निर्मितम्: constructed
• निर्मितम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु; निर् + √मा) + क्त (Kṛdanta)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (constructed/made)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pastoral scene in Prabhāsa: a goat-keeper tending separate herds over many seasons; nearby, a newly built, fortified treasury-storehouse symbolizing orderly prosperity under sacred protection.

Characters & Entities

• the goatherd (ajā-pāla)
• ajāḥ (goats)
• mahā-nidhāna (treasury)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustained dharmic stewardship leads to enduring prosperity, portrayed through long-term flourishing and the rise of a great treasury.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, as the continuing setting where prosperity and merit unfold.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse highlights the fruit of sustained righteous care and management in a sacred setting.