Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

आवां किं कारणं राजा नेक्षते वशवर्तिनौ । प्रोवाच प्रणतो राजा ततो द्वाःस्थं पुरःस्थितम्

Transliteration

āvāṃ kiṃ kāraṇaṃ rājā nekṣate vaśavartinau | provāca praṇato rājā tato dvāḥsthaṃ puraḥsthitam

Translation

“For what reason does the king not look upon us two, who are obedient and under restraint?” Then the king, bowed in reverence, spoke to the doorkeeper standing before him.

Word by Word

• आवाम्: we two
• आवाम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (प्रातिपदिक; 1st person pronoun)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) वा प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) द्विवचनरूपम्; अत्र प्रश्नवाक्ये कर्तरि (we two)

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

• कारणम्: reason/cause
• कारणम्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘किं कारणम्’ = what reason

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ईक्षते: looks at/sees
• ईक्षते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वशवर्तिनौ: two who are under control/obedient
• वशवर्तिनौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वश + वर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक; components: वश (control) + वर्तिन् (abiding))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘आवाम्’)

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; प्र-उपसर्गयुक्त

• प्रणतः: bowed (humbly)
• प्रणतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bowed down’

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (then/from there)

• द्वाःस्थम्: the doorkeeper
• द्वाःस्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार् + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; components: द्वार् (door) + स्थ (standing))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वारपालः

• पुरःस्थितम्: standing in front
• पुरःस्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरः + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; components: पुरः (in front) + स्थित (standing))
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘द्वाःस्थम्’)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara) (narrating)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nara questions why the king refuses to see them; inside, Yudhiṣṭhira—now bowed—speaks to the doorkeeper, signaling a shift from command to reverent reconsideration.

Characters & Entities

• Nara
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dvāḥstha (doorkeeper)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-control and sincerity deserve recognition; when wrongly denied, respectful dialogue becomes the path to restoring dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the contextual tīrtha where this dharmic lesson is narrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it centers on ethical conduct and respectful speech.