Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तत्र वर्षशतं साग्रं पुष्टिं नीता अजाः पृथक् । महानिधानसंस्थानमजापालेन निर्मिंतम्

Transliteration

tatra varṣaśataṃ sāgraṃ puṣṭiṃ nītā ajāḥ pṛthak | mahānidhānasaṃsthānamajāpālena nirmiṃtam

Translation

Là, durant cent années pleines et davantage, les chèvres furent, chacune à part, conduites à l’épanouissement. Et le gardien des chèvres fit édifier un vaste établissement, tel un dépôt de trésors.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वर्षशतम्: a hundred years
• वर्षशतम्: Karma (Extent/duration as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष-शत (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: वर्ष + शत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु: ‘शतं वर्षाणि’ (a hundred years)

• साग्रम्: and more (with an excess)
• साग्रम्: Karma (Qualifier of duration/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अग्रेण सहितम्’ (with an excess; more than)

• पुष्टिम्: nourishment
• पुष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नीताः: were led/brought
• नीताः: Karta (Predicate of ajāḥ/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) + क्त (Kṛdanta)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (having been led/brought)

• अजाः: goats
• अजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: separately)

• महानिधानसंस्थानम्: a great treasury/establishment
• महानिधानसंस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-निधान-संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: महा + निधान + संस्थान
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘महच्च तत् निधानं च’ इत्यर्थे समाहार-निर्देशः; वाक्ये कर्मरूपेण (a great treasury/establishment)

• अजापालेन: by the goatherd
• अजापालेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजा-पाल (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: अजा + पाल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; ‘अजानां पालः’ (goat-herd)

• निर्मितम्: constructed
• निर्मितम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु; निर् + √मा) + क्त (Kṛdanta)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (constructed/made)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pastoral scene in Prabhāsa: a goat-keeper tending separate herds over many seasons; nearby, a newly built, fortified treasury-storehouse symbolizing orderly prosperity under sacred protection.

Characters & Entities

• the goatherd (ajā-pāla)
• ajāḥ (goats)
• mahā-nidhāna (treasury)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustained dharmic stewardship leads to enduring prosperity, portrayed through long-term flourishing and the rise of a great treasury.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, as the continuing setting where prosperity and merit unfold.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse highlights the fruit of sustained righteous care and management in a sacred setting.