Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

महर्षेस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा नाभागः स विषादवान् । चिन्तयामास दुःखार्तः सामात्यः सपुरोहितः

Transliteration

maharṣestadvacaḥ śrutvā nābhāgaḥ sa viṣādavān | cintayāmāsa duḥkhārtaḥ sāmātyaḥ sapurohitaḥ

Translation

Entendant ces paroles du grand sage, Nabhāga fut accablé. Tourmenté par la peine, il se mit à délibérer—avec ses ministres et son prêtre royal.

Word by Word

• महर्षेः: of the great sage
• महर्षेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वचः-विशेषण)

• वचः: speech; words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund/Absolutive): 'having heard'

• नाभागः: Nābhāga
• नाभागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Anuvartaka (अनुवर्तक/subject-pronoun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विषादवान्: full of dejection
• विषादवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषादवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नाभागस्य)

• चिन्तयामास: pondered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दुःखार्तः: afflicted by sorrow
• दुःखार्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सामात्यः: together with his ministers
• सामात्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'अमात्यैः सह' इत्यर्थे बहुव्रीहिः

• सपुरोहितः: together with his priest
• सपुरोहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'पुरोहितेन सह' इत्यर्थे बहुव्रीहिः

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried king Nabhāga sits in council, head bowed, surrounded by ministers and the royal priest; the atmosphere is tense, with the sacred landscape of Prabhāsa hinted in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Nabhāga
• Mahārṣi (Āpastamba)
• Ministers (amātyas)
• Purohita

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma becomes subtle, one should not act impulsively; sober reflection with qualified counsel is itself a righteous step.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the story illustrates that sacred places foster dharmic introspection and careful resolution.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; the emphasis is on deliberation (cintā) with ministers and the purohita before acting.