Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

आराधनीयाः सततं भूदेवा भूतिमीप्सता । प्रकोपनीया नैवैते तत्त्वज्ञा हि तपस्विनः

Transliteration

ārādhanīyāḥ satataṃ bhūdevā bhūtimīpsatā | prakopanīyā naivaite tattvajñā hi tapasvinaḥ

Translation

Those who are ‘gods upon earth’—the brāhmaṇas—should always be revered by one who seeks prosperity and auspiciousness. They should never be provoked, for ascetics who know the truth are truly seers of reality.

Word by Word

• ārādhanīyāḥ: worthy to be worshipped
• ārādhanīyāḥ: Vidhyartha-predicate (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√rādh (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त, gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (कर्तव्य/योग्य): ‘to be worshipped’

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative): ‘constantly’

• bhūdevāḥ: brahmins (gods on earth)
• bhūdevāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: भूमेः देवाः (ब्राह्मणाः)

• bhūtim: prosperity; welfare
• bhūtim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• īpsatā: by one who desires
• īpsatā: Karta (Agent in instrumental—‘by one desiring’/करण-प्रयोग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √āp (धातु) desiderative base īps + शतृ (कृदन्त, present participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘desiring’

• prakopanīyāḥ: to be provoked (angered)
• prakopanīyāḥ: Vidhyartha-predicate (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√kup (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त, gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त; निषेधेन सह—‘not to be angered’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• eva: indeed; at all
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• tattvajñāḥ: knowers of truth
• tattvajñāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: तत्त्वं जानन्ति इति

• hi: for; indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): ‘for/indeed’

• tapasvinaḥ: ascetics
• tapasvinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Devarṣi (divine sage) addressing Rukmiṇī (deduced from context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (as ethical tīrtha-space)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Dvārakā respectfully offers water, food, and cloth to serene ascetics/brāhmaṇas; their tapas-tejas is shown as a gentle radiance, warning against provocation.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūdeva (Brāhmaṇa)
• Tapasvin
• Tattvajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prosperity and spiritual safety come from honoring truth-knowing ascetics and avoiding offenses against them.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Dvārakā Māhātmya, the ethic supports the sanctity of Dvārakā as a dharmic realm where sages and devotees are to be revered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral dharma is prescribed: continuous reverence (ārādhana) of bhūdevas and avoidance of provoking them.