Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

बलिमन्ये प्रयच्छंति स्तुतिं कुर्वंति चापरे । अथाश्चर्यं परं दृष्ट्वा प्रदक्षिणापरं नृपम्

Transliteration

balimanye prayacchaṃti stutiṃ kurvaṃti cāpare | athāścaryaṃ paraṃ dṛṣṭvā pradakṣiṇāparaṃ nṛpam

Translation

Les uns offraient le bali (offrandes rituelles), et d’autres récitaient des louanges. Puis, voyant un grand prodige — le roi tout entier voué à la pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation sacrée) — ils furent saisis d’étonnement.

Word by Word

• बलिम्: offering (bali)
• बलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रयच्छन्ति: offer, give
• प्रयच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yam (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्तुतिम्: praise, hymn
• स्तुतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कुर्वन्ति: do, perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/and)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder, marvel
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āścarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परम्: great, supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Non-finite action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• प्रदक्षिणापरम्: devoted to circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणापरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradakṣiṇā + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (प्रदक्षिणायां परः/प्रदक्षिणापरः = devoted to circumambulation)

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic storyteller within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-liṅga-sthāna

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa / rājendra (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees offer bali and chant hymns while the king continues unwavering clockwise circumambulation; sages look on with astonishment, hands raised in appreciation.

Characters & Entities

• King Veṇu
• Liṅga (Acaleśvara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Multiple rites exist, yet unwavering focus on one sacred act (pradakṣiṇā) can appear wondrous and spiritually exemplary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Acaleśvara in Arbuda remains the locus of worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bali (offerings) and stuti (hymns) are mentioned; the king’s hallmark practice is continuous pradakṣiṇā.