Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

वेदस्मृतिपुराणैश्च ये न पश्यंति भूतलम् । पातालं स्वर्गलोकं च वंचितास्ते नरा इह

Transliteration

vedasmṛtipurāṇaiśca ye na paśyaṃti bhūtalam | pātālaṃ svargalokaṃ ca vaṃcitāste narā iha

Translation

Wer durch Veden, Smṛtis und Purāṇas die wahre Natur der irdischen Ebene—wie auch Pātālas und der Himmelswelt—nicht erkennt, der ist schon hier betrogen und beraubt.

Word by Word

• वेदस्मृतिपुराणैः: by the Vedas, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas
• वेदस्मृतिपुराणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (वेदाः स्मृतयः पुराणानि च)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूतलम्: the earth/ground
• भूतलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पातालम्: the netherworld
• पातालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• स्वर्गलोकम्: the heavenly world
• स्वर्गलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गस्य लोकः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• वञ्चिताः: deprived/cheated
• वञ्चिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वञ्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वञ्च् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher recites from palm-leaf manuscripts (Veda–Smṛti–Purāṇa) to pilgrims; behind them, symbolic earth, heaven, and netherworld appear as layered realms; some listeners remain veiled by mist (delusion).

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Smṛti
• Purāṇa
• Pātāla
• Svarga-loka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śāstra-guided discernment matters; ignoring Veda–Smṛti–Purāṇa leads to confusion about life, afterlife, and duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Vastrāpatha-kṣetra discourse positions tīrtha-māhātmya as part of Purāṇic guidance for right living.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; the prescription is adherence to śāstric teaching as the basis for dharma and pilgrimage practice.