Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्त्वेन तथाऽलुब्धतयापि वा । जितं जगद्धारयन्तो धृतराष्ट्रा मतास्तु ये

Transliteration

brahmacaryeṇa sattvena tathā'lubdhatayāpi vā | jitaṃ jagaddhārayanto dhṛtarāṣṭrā matāstu ye

Translation

Ceux qui, par le brahmacarya (continence sacrée), la pureté d’être et l’absence de convoitise, maintiennent le monde stable comme s’il était vaincu—ceux-là sont tenus pour des « Dhṛtarāṣṭra », les soutiens du monde.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचर्येण: by celibacy
• ब्रह्मचर्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• सत्त्वेन: by purity/virtue
• सत्त्वेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (also/likewise)

• अलुब्धतया: by non-greed
• अलुब्धतया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलुब्धता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• जितम्: conquered
• जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक; जि धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त; ‘conquered’

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धारयन्तः: bearing/maintaining
• धारयन्तः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-कर्तरि

• धृतराष्ट्राः: (the) Dhṛtarāṣṭra (class; those who uphold the realm)
• धृतराष्ट्राः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृत (प्रातिपदिक; धृ धातोः क्त) + राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (धृतं राष्ट्रं येषाम्) वर्गनाम

• मताः: are considered
• मताः: Kriya (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘are considered’ (लुप्त-भू)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A steadfast ascetic stands like a pillar, calm and radiant; around him, symbolic imagery of the world being steadied—people, animals, and a cosmic wheel—suggesting 'jagad-dhāraṇa'.

Characters & Entities

• brahmacarya
• alobha
• dhṛtarāṣṭra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Moral virtues—continence, purity, and non-greed—create a stabilizing spiritual force that ‘upholds the world’.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose māhātmya frames such virtues as especially meritorious in a sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vrata-like ethical regimen is implied: brahmacarya and alobha, rather than a specific ceremonial rite.