Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

प्रेक्षकैश्चेष्टितः शश्वदारटन्विविधैः स्वरैः । संयम्य नीयते हन्तुं लज्जितोऽधोमुखो जनाः

Transliteration

prekṣakaiśceṣṭitaḥ śaśvadāraṭanvividhaiḥ svaraiḥ | saṃyamya nīyate hantuṃ lajjito'dhomukho janāḥ

Translation

Poussé par les spectateurs aux cris incessants, il est ligoté et conduit au supplice, honteux, le visage baissé, ô peuple.

Word by Word

• प्रेक्षकैः: by the onlookers
• प्रेक्षकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ईष्टितः: gestured/acted (as a spectacle)
• ईष्टितः: Kriya/Visheshana (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईष्टित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पाठभेद/अर्थः—चेष्टितः इति (gestured/acted)

• शश्वत्: constantly, repeatedly
• शश्वत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• आ-रटन-विविधैः: with various cries/shouts
• आ-रटन-विविधैः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-रटन + विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (स्वरैः सह), तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आ-रटनस्य विविधाः)

• स्वरैः: with voices/sounds
• स्वरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• संयम्य: having restrained
• संयम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+यम् (धातु) → संयम्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), अर्थः—बद्ध्वा/निगृह्य (having restrained)

• नीयते: is being led
• नीयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हन्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• लज्जितः: ashamed
• लज्जितः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लज्ज् (धातु) → लज्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (ashamed)

• अधोमुखः: down-faced, looking down
• अधोमुखः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधः + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अधो मुखं यस्य)

• जनाः: people (onlookers)
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Festival announcers/performers (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bound man, head bowed, is dragged toward execution; spectators shout in varied voices, some pointing, some jeering; guards restrain him firmly. The sacred horizon (temple spire/sea line) contrasts with the noisy crowd.

Characters & Entities

• prekṣaka (spectators)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wrongdoing culminates in shame and loss of dignity; public moral theatre reinforces accountability and fear of pāpa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where communal participation (prekṣakas) supports dharmic instruction during festivals.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A festival enactment in which spectators’ cries accompany the restrained offender being led for punishment, serving as a deterrent lesson.