Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 133

Devanagari script

एतै प्रकारैः प्रेतत्वं प्राणिनां जायते भुवि । निरीक्ष्य धर्मशास्त्राणि कार्य्यं विहितमात्मनः

Transliteration

etai prakāraiḥ pretatvaṃ prāṇināṃ jāyate bhuvi | nirīkṣya dharmaśāstrāṇi kāryyaṃ vihitamātmanaḥ

Translation

C’est ainsi que, sur la terre, l’état de preta naît chez les êtres vivants. Aussi, après avoir examiné les Dharma-śāstras, doit-on accomplir ce qui est prescrit pour son propre bien.

Word by Word

• etaiḥ: by these
• etaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• prakāraiḥ: ways/methods
• prakāraiḥ: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pretatvam: state of being a preta
• pretatvam: Karta (Subject/result/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + -tva (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• prāṇinām: of living beings
• prāṇinām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• jāyate: arises/is born
• jāyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhuvi: on earth/in the world
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• nirīkṣya: having examined
• nirīkṣya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• dharmaśāstrāṇi: dharma-śāstras (law/duty texts)
• dharmaśāstrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• kāryyam: what should be done; duty
• kāryyam: Karma (That which is to be done/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• vihitam: prescribed/ordained
• vihitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying kāryyam)

• ātmanaḥ: for oneself/of oneself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

An elder instructor within the Dvārakā-māhātmya narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker sits with dharmaśāstra texts open, reflecting, while a ritual space is prepared—kuśa laid out, water pot ready—signifying resolve to do the enjoined act.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaśāstra
• Preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural dharma is presented as practical protection against harmful post-death states.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Prabhāsa–Dvārakā pilgrimage context of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Study/consult Dharmaśāstra and follow the prescribed duties and rites (vihita-karman).