Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

एते स्वर्गस्य नेतारो देवदेवाः सनातनाः । एभिश्चापि कृतः पंथा देवयानः स उच्यते

Transliteration

ete svargasya netāro devadevāḥ sanātanāḥ | ebhiścāpi kṛtaḥ paṃthā devayānaḥ sa ucyate

Translation

Ceux-ci sont les guides vers le ciel, les éternels « dieux des dieux ». Par eux aussi fut établi le sentier ; on l’appelle Devayāna, la voie divine.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संकेतवाचक सर्वनाम

• स्वर्गस्य: of heaven
• स्वर्गस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• नेतारः: leaders/guides
• नेतारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netṛ (कृदन्त; √nī/नी + तृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• देवदेवाः: gods of gods
• देवदेवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-deva (देव + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (देवानां देवाः = gods of gods)

• सनातनाः: eternal
• सनातनाः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• एभिः: by these
• एभिः: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थ (particle: ‘also’)

• कृतः: was made
• कृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ/कृ + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; कर्मणि (passive: ‘was made’)

• पंथा: path
• पंथा: Karma/Pradhāna (कर्म/प्रधान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: panthā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवयानः: the Devayāna (path to the gods)
• देवयानः: Karta (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-yāna (देव + यान)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां यानः/मार्गः = path leading to the gods)

• सः: that/it
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु; passive stem ucyate)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous celestial roadway (devayāna) arches above Prabhāsa’s shore-temple landscape; divine guardians indicate the upward path while pilgrims gaze in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Devayāna
• Deva-deva (epithet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The truly great—endowed with spiritual authority—are portrayed as establishing the ‘divine path’ that leads beings upward toward heaven.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra remains the overarching māhātmya context, linking right conduct and reverence with higher destinations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; the verse points to the Devayāna as a dharmic-spiritual trajectory shaped by saintly exemplars.