Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

किं वेदैः श्रद्धया हीनैर्व्याख्यानैरपि कृत्स्नशः । हेमभारसहस्रैः किं कुरुक्षेत्रे रविग्रहे

Transliteration

kiṃ vedaiḥ śraddhayā hīnairvyākhyānairapi kṛtsnaśaḥ | hemabhārasahasraiḥ kiṃ kurukṣetre ravigrahe

Translation

What is the use of the Vedas when devoid of faith, even with exhaustive expositions? What is the use of thousands of loads of gold at Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse?

Word by Word

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• वेदैः: with the Vedas
• वेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• हीनैः: devoid (of)
• हीनैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (वेदैः/व्याख्यानैः इत्यादि-विशेषण)

• व्याख्यानैः: with explanations/commentaries
• व्याख्यानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• कृत्स्नशः: altogether
• कृत्स्नशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्नशस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'entirely/altogether')

• हेमभारसहस्रैः: with thousands of loads of gold
• हेमभारसहस्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + भार (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (हेमस्य भाराः; तेषां सहस्रैः)

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• कुरुक्षेत्रे: in Kurukshetra
• कुरुक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कुरूणां क्षेत्रम्)

• रविग्रहे: at the solar eclipse
• रविग्रहे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रविग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (रवेः ग्रहः = सूर्यग्रहण-समये)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; rhetorical praise within Dvārakāmāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (implied as the superior fruit) contrasted with Kurukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: on one side scholars reciting Veda without devotion and merchants weighing heaps of gold at an eclipse-bathing crowd in Kurukṣetra; on the other side, a simple devotee with folded hands oriented toward Dvārakā’s Lord, suggesting the superiority of faith-filled devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Kurukṣetra
• Ravi-graha (solar eclipse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Without śraddhā (faith), even great learning or massive charity loses its spiritual efficacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kurukṣetra is referenced as a famed tīrtha for eclipse-rites, by comparison within the Dvārakā praise-context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna at Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse is referenced, but the emphasis is that faith is essential for fruit.