Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

आशीविषा इव क्रुद्धा उपचर्या हि ब्राह्मणाः । तपसा दीप्यमानास्ते दहेयुः सागरानपि

Transliteration

āśīviṣā iva kruddhā upacaryā hi brāhmaṇāḥ | tapasā dīpyamānāste daheyuḥ sāgarānapi

Translation

Like venomous serpents when enraged, Brāhmaṇas must indeed be approached with proper honor. Blazing with ascetic power, they could burn even the oceans.

Word by Word

• आशीविषाः: poisonous serpents
• आशीविषाः: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशीविष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• क्रुद्धाः: angered
• क्रुद्धाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) → क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying brāhmaṇāḥ)

• उपचर्याः: to be served/attended
• उपचर्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपचर् (धातु) → उपचर्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्य-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘सेवनीयाः/पूजनीयाः’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• दीप्यमानाः: blazing, shining
• दीप्यमानाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप् (धातु) → दीप्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, passive/ātmanepada sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (brāhmaṇāḥ)

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

• दहेयुः: would burn
• दहेयुः: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सागरान्: oceans
• सागरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

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

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the assembled sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern, radiant ascetic-brāhmaṇa stands like a pillar of fire; a coiled serpent motif echoes the ‘āśīviṣa’ simile; the ocean behind appears subdued, hinting at the claim ‘could burn even oceans’.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Tapas
• Sāgara (oceans)
• Āśīviṣa (venomous serpent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disrespect toward dharmic guardians is spiritually dangerous; proper honor prevents grave karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where dharma and right conduct are emphasized as part of the site’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse prescribes upacāra—proper respectful conduct and service toward Brāhmaṇas.