Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

यदर्च्यते भूमितलं तन्मे नित्यं सुरार्चनम् । किं देवैर्दिवि मे कार्यं किं मनुष्यैर्धरातले

Transliteration

yadarcyate bhūmitalaṃ tanme nityaṃ surārcanam | kiṃ devairdivi me kāryaṃ kiṃ manuṣyairdharātale

Translation

Was immer auf der Erdoberfläche verehrt wird—das allein ist für mich die tägliche Verehrung der Götter. Was brauche ich die Götter im Himmel, und was brauche ich die Menschen auf Erden?

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• अर्च्यते: is worshipped
• अर्च्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि प्रयोग, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भूमितलम्: the surface of the earth
• भूमितलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूमेः तलम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मे: my / for me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध)/चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सुरार्चनम्: worship by the gods / worship of the gods
• सुरार्चनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् अर्चनम्)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• देवैः: with the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सप्तमी-अर्थे (locative adverb: ‘in heaven’)

• मे: my / for me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक

• कार्यम्: need, business, purpose
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• मनुष्यैः: with humans
• मनुष्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• धरातले: on the earth’s surface
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धरायाः तलम्)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A resolute speaker renounces concern for svarga and worldly society, pointing to the sanctity of the earth’s worship—suggesting a tīrtha landscape with a shrine and worshippers.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Manuṣya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays an extreme stance that collapses all worship into a single notion—serving as a narrative signal that Nārada’s discernment has become distorted and needs correction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The statement is embedded in the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya (Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa), where the sanctity of place and right practice are thematically central.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (worship) is referenced broadly; no specific procedural rite is prescribed in this verse.