Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

उपवासैः कृशो दीनो भूतलं प्रविवेश ह । स दैत्त्यराजभवनं गन्धर्वाप्सरसावृतम्

Transliteration

upavāsaiḥ kṛśo dīno bhūtalaṃ praviveśa ha | sa daittyarājabhavanaṃ gandharvāpsarasāvṛtam

Translation

Amaigri et misérable à force de jeûnes, il entra dans la région terrestre. Puis il s’approcha du palais du roi Daitya, entouré de Gandharvas et d’Apsaras.

Word by Word

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• कृशः: emaciated
• कृशः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘sa/ātreyaḥ’)

• दीनः: wretched
• दीनः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भूतलम्: the earth’s surface
• भूतलम्: Karma (Destination/गन्तव्य-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (bhūyāḥ talam)

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• ह: indeed/then
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्मरण/वृत्तान्तसूचक-निपात (narrative particle)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दैत्यराजभवनम्: the palace of the demon-king
• दैत्यराजभवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक) + भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (daityarājasya bhavanam)

• गन्धर्वाप्सरसावृतम्: surrounded by Gandharvas and Apsarases
• गन्धर्वाप्सरसावृतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √वृ ‘to cover’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘आवृत’; पूर्वपद-द्वन्द्व (गन्धर्व + अप्सरस्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gaunt sage, ribs visible from fasting, steps into a dazzling palace of the Daitya-king; Gandharvas play music and Apsarases surround the hall, creating a seductive yet threatening atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Daitya-rāja
• Gandharva
• Apsaras
• upavāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity (upavāsa) strengthens resolve; the ascetic persists even when entering hostile realms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is narrative; the chapter’s larger purpose supports Dvārakā’s sacred greatness and Viṣṇu’s protection linked to its tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting) is referenced as an ascetic practice, though not prescribed as a formal vow here.