Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

स नित्यं पदवीं गत्वा मुष्ट्वा लोकान्स्वशक्तितः । द्रव्यमादाय पितरौ भार्यां चापि पुपोष च

Transliteration

sa nityaṃ padavīṃ gatvā muṣṭvā lokānsvaśaktitaḥ | dravyamādāya pitarau bhāryāṃ cāpi pupoṣa ca

Translation

Chaque jour il gagnait la grand-route et, selon sa force, dépouillait les gens par le vol. Avec les biens ainsi pris, il entretenait ses parents et aussi son épouse.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (Time/Frequency)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

• पदवीम्: a path/road
• पदवीम्: Karma (Object/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• मुष्ट्वा: having robbed
• मुष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• लोकान्: people
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्वशक्तितः: according to his own ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Karana/Hetu (Means/according to capacity)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (from/according to one's own power)

• द्रव्यम्: wealth/property
• द्रव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• पितरौ: (his) two parents
• पितरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• पुपोष: nourished/supported
• पुपोष: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dusty highway scene: the brāhmaṇa-turned-bandit ambushes travelers with a staff; in the distance, a faint silhouette of a sacred coastline/temple hints at Prabhāsa’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• pitarau (parents)
• bhāryā (wife)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting family with sinful earnings is still adharma; the means shape karmic burden, not only the intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is situated in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, associated with the sanctity of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse sets up an ethical dilemma about livelihood and sin.