Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

द्वादशाब्दं तु दुर्भिक्षं न कर्तव्यं कदाचन । कीर्तिरेषा मदीया च त्रैलोक्ये विचरिष्यति

Transliteration

dvādaśābdaṃ tu durbhikṣaṃ na kartavyaṃ kadācana | kīrtireṣā madīyā ca trailokye vicariṣyati

Translation

“A famine lasting twelve years must never be brought about—at any time. And this very fame of mine shall roam throughout the three worlds.”

Word by Word

• द्वादशाब्दम्: twelve-year (period)
• द्वादशाब्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश अब्दाः यस्य/परिमाणम्) = twelve-year (period)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• दुर्भिक्षम्: famine
• दुर्भिक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• कर्तव्यम्: must not be done/caused
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi/Pratiṣedha-kriya (Prohibitive obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘न कर्तव्यम्’ = must not be done/caused

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (at any time/ever)

• कीर्तिः: fame
• कीर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: Visheshana (Demonstrative qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मदीया: my
• मदीया: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कीर्तिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• त्रैलोक्ये: in the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (त्रयाणां लोकानां समाहारः)

• विचरिष्यति: will roam/spread
• विचरिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śani (continuation of boon/assurance discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Śani
• Trailokya (three worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True power is measured by welfare: restraining destructive forces (like famine) is portrayed as the highest public blessing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where cosmic welfare narratives are embedded in the site’s Māhātmya tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse states a protective outcome—prevention of prolonged famine.