Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 113

Devanagari script

मूलानि चान्ये भक्षंति अन्ये वार्यंशना द्विजाः । आलोकंति स्वमन्ये च तथान्ये जलशायिनः

Transliteration

mūlāni cānye bhakṣaṃti anye vāryaṃśanā dvijāḥ | ālokaṃti svamanye ca tathānye jalaśāyinaḥ

Translation

Les uns mangeaient des racines; d’autres, les «deux-fois-nés» (dvija), ne vivaient que d’eau. Certains fixaient leur regard sur le Soi (Ātman), et d’autres observaient le vœu de demeurer couchés dans l’eau.

Word by Word

• मूलानि: roots (edible roots)
• मूलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भक्षन्ति: eat
• भक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वार्यंशना: water-eaters (living on water)
• वार्यंशना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि + अशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वारिणः अशनम् = water as food)

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• आलोकन्ति: look at, observe
• आलोकन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आलोक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• स्वम्: the self
• स्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus/likewise)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• जलशायिनः: those who lie in water
• जलशायिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (जले शायी = lying in water)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetics in varied vows: some chewing roots, some sipping only water; one group seated in meditation with steady gaze inward; others lying immersed in shallow water (jala-śāyin) near the tīrtha edge; atmosphere quiet, reflective, dawn or dusk light.

Characters & Entities

• dvijas
• Vastrāpathakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity is pursued through both outer restraint (diet/vows) and inner contemplation (turning the mind toward the Self).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpathakṣetra, portrayed as conducive to severe vows and inner realization.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austere diets (roots, water-only) and vows such as jala-śayana (lying in water), alongside contemplative practice.