Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

एवमादीनि तेजांसि ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् । तस्माद्विप्रेषु नृपतिः प्रणमेन्नित्यमेव च

Transliteration

evamādīni tejāṃsi brāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām | tasmādvipreṣu nṛpatiḥ praṇamennityameva ca

Translation

Telles, et bien d’autres encore, sont les puissances des brāhmanes au grand esprit. C’est pourquoi le roi doit se prosterner devant les vipras (brāhmanes), toujours, assurément.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverb) — ‘thus/in this manner’

• आदीनि: and the like
• आदीनि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘ādi’ as adjective ‘beginning with, etc.’

• तेजांसि: splendours, powers
• तेजांसि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• महात्मनाम्: of great-souled (ones)
• महात्मनाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ब्राह्मणानाम् इति विशेषणम्

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक ‘तद्’)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverbial ablative sense) — ‘therefore/from that reason’

• विप्रेषु: towards/among Brahmins
• विप्रेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (locative plural)

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रणमेत्: should bow (salute)
• प्रणमेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial accusative) — ‘always’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, with crown lowered, performs namaskāra at the feet of serene brāhmaṇas seated in a tīrtha-ashram near the sea; the atmosphere is calm, emphasizing humility as true strength.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Nṛpati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rulers preserve dharma by honoring spiritual authority; reverence to brāhmaṇas is presented as a safeguard for the realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, where dharmic conduct is taught alongside the kṣetra’s praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral injunction is given: constant praṇāma (respectful salutation) toward brāhmaṇas.