Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

दृश्यंते भास्वरै रत्नैः प्रस्खलंतो विभूषणैः । तान्दृष्ट्वा रावणः प्राह प्रहस्तं प्रतिहारकम्

Transliteration

dṛśyaṃte bhāsvarai ratnaiḥ praskhalaṃto vibhūṣaṇaiḥ | tāndṛṣṭvā rāvaṇaḥ prāha prahastaṃ pratihārakam

Translation

Se les veía resplandecer con joyas radiantes, y sus adornos, al deslizarse, tintineaban. Al verlos, Rāvaṇa habló a Prahasta, su mayordomo de palacio.

Word by Word

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• भास्वरैः: with shining
• भास्वरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुं, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (रत्नैः)

• रत्नैः: with jewels
• रत्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• प्रस्खलन्तः: slipping/staggering
• प्रस्खलन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्खल् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (ये) ‘प्रस्खलन्तः’

• विभूषणैः: with ornaments
• विभूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• रावणः: Rāvaṇa
• रावणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रहस्तम्: Prahasta
• प्रहस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रतिहारकम्: doorkeeper/chamberlain
• प्रतिहारकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिहारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपपद/पदवीवाचक (doorkeeper/chamberlain)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narration; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dazzling crowd of kings and heroes, jewels flashing; ornaments loosen and fall with a metallic clatter. Rāvaṇa, intense and commanding, turns to Prahasta to inquire.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Prahasta
• Kings/attendants (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Splendor and ornamentation are unstable; the verse hints at the precariousness of prideful pomp before dharma’s scrutiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Māhātmya section, which frames such narratives within the sanctity of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it sets up a courtly inquiry and ensuing dialogue.