Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

वृसिकापाणयः केचित्कमंडलुधराः परे । गृहीत्वा पादुकाश्चान्ये तस्य धावंति पृष्ठतः

Transliteration

vṛsikāpāṇayaḥ kecitkamaṃḍaludharāḥ pare | gṛhītvā pādukāścānye tasya dhāvaṃti pṛṣṭhataḥ

Translation

Les uns tenaient des louches rituelles en main, d’autres portaient le kamaṇḍalu (vase d’eau) ; d’autres encore, saisissant des sandales, couraient derrière lui.

Word by Word

• वृसिकापाणयः: those with scorpions in their hands
• वृसिकापाणयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृसिका (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वृसिका पाणौ येषाम्)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता) (समूह-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (some)

• कमण्डलुधराः: water-pot bearers
• कमण्डलुधराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (कमण्डलुं धरन्ति ये)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘others’

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having taken’

• पादुकाः: sandals
• पादुकाः: Karma (कर्म) (गृहीत्वा इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him; his
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धावन्ति: run
• धावन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पृष्ठतः: from behind; behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) (स्थानवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (पृष्ठतः = behind; adverbial tasil)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta) describing the pursuit (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (episode setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahatmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of rishis rushes forward: one brandishes a ladle, another clutches a kamaṇḍalu, others wave sandals as improvised missiles, all chasing the unseen offender through the sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Tapodhanas (ascetics)
• Vṛsikā (ladle)
• Kamaṇḍalu
• Pādukā (sandals)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts the symbols of ritual life with impulsive pursuit, implying that spiritual tools should support calm discipline, not anger.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, as the stage for the Māhātmya episode that sacralizes the locale through memorable events.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; the verse references ritual implements (kamaṇḍalu, vṛsikā) as narrative detail.