Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अजापालोऽपि साक्षेपं प्रत्यु क्त्वा कारणोत्तरम् । प्रेषयामास धूम्राक्षं ततः कृत्यं समादधे

Transliteration

ajāpālo'pi sākṣepaṃ pratyu ktvā kāraṇottaram | preṣayāmāsa dhūmrākṣaṃ tataḥ kṛtyaṃ samādadhe

Translation

Ajāpāla, lui aussi, répliqua vivement en donnant des raisons en retour; puis il renvoya Dhūmrākṣa et, ensuite, entreprit un rite (kṛtya).

Word by Word

• अजापालः: the goatherd
• अजापालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजापाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—अजा + पाल (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अजायाः पालः’)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘also/even’

• साक्षेपम्: with sarcasm/with a taunt
• साक्षेपम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे कर्मप्रवचनीयवत्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• प्रत्युक्त्वा: having replied
• प्रत्युक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + वच् (धातु) → प्रत्युक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातुः—वच् (to speak) उपसर्गः—प्रति

• कारणोत्तरम्: an answer with reasons
• कारणोत्तरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कारणस्य उत्तरम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• प्रेषयामास: sent
• प्रेषयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + इष् (धातु) → प्रेषयामास (णिजन्त)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) ‘to cause to go/send’

• धूम्राक्षम्: Dhūmrākṣa (a being named Dhūmrākṣa)
• धूम्राक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—धूम्रः अक्षः/अक्षी यस्य (कर्मधारयः: ‘smoke-eyed’, proper name)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘thereupon/then’

• कृत्यम्: the task, what was to be done
• कृत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समादधे: undertook, set about
• समादधे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ajāpāla, composed yet stern, gestures sharply while answering; Dhūmrākṣa withdraws. Immediately, Ajāpāla turns to a ritual space—drawing a diagram, arranging offerings, preparing a kṛtya.

Characters & Entities

• Ajāpāla
• Dhūmrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reasoned firmness and timely sacred action are portrayed as legitimate defenses against oppressive threats.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the overarching sacred context, though the verse focuses on the narrative turn.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A kṛtya (operative rite) is mentioned generally; details appear in the following verses.