Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

ते शंकमानास्त्वन्योन्यं पर्यपृच्छन्द्विजोत्तमाः । चक्रुस्ते शपथान्सर्वे यथान्यायं च भामिनि

Transliteration

te śaṃkamānāstvanyonyaṃ paryapṛcchandvijottamāḥ | cakruste śapathānsarve yathānyāyaṃ ca bhāmini

Translation

Se soupçonnant les uns les autres, les meilleurs des deux-fois-nés s’interrogèrent mutuellement ; et tous prononcèrent des serments solennels, selon la règle juste, ô femme au cœur ardent.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• शंकमानाः: suspecting
• शंकमानाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• अन्योन्यम्: each other (mutually)
• अन्योन्यम्: Adhikarana/Prayojana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• पर्यपृच्छन्: asked (around/inquired)
• पर्यपृच्छन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (उत्तमाः द्विजाः)

• चक्रुः: made/did
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (पुनरुक्ति)

• शपथान्: oaths
• शपथान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• न्यायम्: proper rule/justice
• न्यायम्: Adverbial
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (accusative of manner)

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

• भामिनि: O fair lady
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages, hands raised in oath-gesture, some touching water or holding kamaṇḍalus; faces stern yet controlled; the sacred shore acts as witness; tension is disciplined, not chaotic.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijottamas
• Śapatha (oath)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires orderly inquiry and truthful oaths; even in tension, disputes should follow nyāya (right procedure).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The event is set in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, showing how sacred places demand heightened truthfulness and ethical conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śapatha (solemn oath-taking) is performed as a dharmic method to address wrongdoing.