Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

गणानां कोटिरेका तु तत्कुण्डं रक्षति प्रिये । कलौ युगे तु संप्राप्ते दुष्प्राप्यमकृतात्मभिः

Transliteration

gaṇānāṃ koṭirekā tu tatkuṇḍaṃ rakṣati priye | kalau yuge tu saṃprāpte duṣprāpyamakṛtātmabhiḥ

Translation

Ô bien-aimée, un crore de gaṇa serviteurs garde ce bassin. Et lorsque survient l’âge de Kali, il devient difficile à atteindre pour ceux dont la conduite n’est pas maîtrisée.

Word by Word

• गणानाम्: of the gaṇas (attendants)
• गणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कोटिः: a crore
• कोटिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एका: one; single
• एका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कोटिः-विशेषण

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कुण्डम्-विशेषण (demonstrative)

• कुण्डम्: pond; sacred pool
• कुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• रक्षति: protects
• रक्षति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• प्रिये: O dear one
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• युगे: in the yuga; age
• युगे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: however
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• संप्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived; having come
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘कलौ युगे’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (locative absolute sense: ‘when ... has come’)

• दुष्प्राप्यम्: hard to obtain/reach
• दुष्प्राप्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस् + प्राप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; समास: दुष्टेन प्रकारेण प्राप्यम्/दुष्प्राप्यम् (उपपद-तत्पुरुष); कुण्डम्-विशेषण

• अकृतात्मभिः: by the undisciplined (people)
• अकृतात्मभिः: Kartr/Hetu (Agent/Means/कर्ता/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + कृत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुव्रीहि: अकृतः आत्मा येषाम् (those whose self is undisciplined)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kuṇḍa (guarded pond referenced in context)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī/Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A secluded sacred pond in Prabhāsa, ringed by a luminous host of gaṇas standing guard; the atmosphere suggests Kali-yuga obscuration—mist, thorny paths, and a lone disciplined pilgrim approaching with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• gaṇas
• Kali Yuga
• Ratnakuṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Access to sacred merit is linked to inner discipline; Kali-yuga intensifies the need for self-restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ratnakuṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes guardianship and the ethical qualification to reach the tīrtha.