Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कतिप्रकारास्ते विप्रास्तत्र क्षेत्रनिवासिनः । किमाचारा महादेव किंशीलाः किंपरायणाः

Transliteration

katiprakārāste viprāstatra kṣetranivāsinaḥ | kimācārā mahādeva kiṃśīlāḥ kiṃparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

O Mahādeva, of how many kinds are the brāhmaṇas who dwell in that sacred field? What is their conduct? What is their character, and to what are they devoted as their highest refuge?

Word by Word

• कति: how many
• कति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कति (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नसंख्यावाचक; ‘प्रकाराः’ इति विशेषण (how many)

• प्रकाराः: types, kinds
• प्रकाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इति विशेषण (those)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• क्षेत्रनिवासिनः: residing in the sacred place
• क्षेत्रनिवासिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्र-निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: क्षेत्र + निवासिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इति विशेषण

• किम्: what kind of?
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘आचाराः’ इति विशेषण (interrogative)

• आचाराः: conducts, practices
• आचाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• किम्: what kind of?
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘शीलाः’ इति विशेषण

• शीलाः: dispositions, virtues
• शीलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• किम्: what (are they) devoted to?
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘परायणाः’ इति विशेषण

• परायणाः: devoted, intent upon
• परायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इत्यर्थे विशेषण (devoted/intent upon)

Speaker

Pārvatī (Mahādevī), addressing Śiva (Īśvara/Mahādeva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A direct address to Mahādeva asking for typology and defining traits of Prabhāsa’s resident brāhmaṇas: their conduct, character, and highest devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Mahādeva
• vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is understood through the dharma and lived conduct of those who dwell and serve there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Prabhāsa), presented as a sacred field whose residents embody tīrtha-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; this verse initiates an inquiry into the conduct and devotion of the kṣetra’s Brāhmaṇas.