Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अश्वस्तत्रैव दातव्यः सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः

Transliteration

aśvastatraiva dātavyaḥ samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ

Translation

Ceux qui recherchent le fruit complet du pèlerinage doivent y faire don d’un cheval, en ce lieu même, sanctifié.

Word by Word

• aśvaḥ: a horse
• aśvaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• dātavyaḥ: should be given (as a gift)
• dātavyaḥ: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘to be given/should be given’

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb: properly)

• yātrāphalepsubhiḥ: by those desiring the fruit of the pilgrimage
• yātrāphalepsubhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātrā-phala-ipsu (प्रातिपदिक; यात्रा + फल + इप्सु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; ‘यात्रायाः फलम् इप्सवः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (sages/devotees)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at Prabhāsa complete their yātrā by gifting a decorated horse to a worthy recipient near the sacred precinct, with priests reciting blessings and the sea-wind carrying incense.

Characters & Entities

• Dāna
• Aśva (horse)
• Yātrā (pilgrimage)
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is perfected by dāna; giving at the tīrtha completes the dharmic circuit of travel, worship, and charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Bhadrakālī–Bālārka/Sūrya-related sacred spot within Prabhāsakṣetra where this instruction is to be performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Aśva-dāna (donation of a horse) at the site for those seeking the complete fruit of the pilgrimage.