Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

पशूनामवदानानि गृह्णंति द्विजसत्तमाः । प्राप्ता भागार्थिनो देवा विलंबसमयोऽभवत्

Transliteration

paśūnāmavadānāni gṛhṇaṃti dvijasattamāḥ | prāptā bhāgārthino devā vilaṃbasamayo'bhavat

Translation

Les plus excellents des brahmanes prirent les parts assignées des animaux du sacrifice. Les dieux, venus réclamer leur dû, étaient arrivés, mais un retard survint.

Word by Word

• पशूनाम्: of the animals
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अवदानानि: portions/offerings (shares)
• अवदानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गृह्णन्ति: they take/receive
• गृह्णन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजसत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां सत्तमाः)

• प्राप्ताः: having arrived
• प्राप्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• भागार्थिनः: seeking their share
• भागार्थिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भागस्य अर्थिनः = share-seeking)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विलम्बसमयः: the time of delay
• विलम्बसमयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विलम्बः एव समयः)

• अभवत्: occurred/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (narration; deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic sacrificial ground at Prabhāsa: ṛtviks portioning animal-offerings while devas arrive expectant; a palpable pause as time slips and the rite hesitates.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Dvija (Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual dharma involves rightful distribution—shares to gods and due portions handled by qualified priests; disorder appears as ‘delay’ in the rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the yajña’s offerings and divine ‘shares’ are narrated as part of its Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Handling of avadānas (designated portions) in yajña and the concept of bhāga (divine share) to be offered to the devas.