Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

रंभा न राजते रंगे मेनका त्वां न मन्यते । तिलोत्तमापि मनुते बलिराजं सुरेश्वरम्

Transliteration

raṃbhā na rājate raṃge menakā tvāṃ na manyate | tilottamāpi manute balirājaṃ sureśvaram

Translation

Rambhā ne brille pas sur la scène ; Menakā ne te tient pas pour le Suprême. Même Tilottamā considère le roi Bali comme le Seigneur des dieux.

Word by Word

• raṃbhā: Rambhā
• raṃbhā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṃbhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• rājate: shines/appears
• rājate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rāj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• raṃge: on the stage/in the arena
• raṃge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• menakā: Menakā
• menakā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: menakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• manyate: thinks/considers
• manyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tilottamā: Tilottamā
• tilottamā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tilottamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (also/even)

• manute: thinks/considers
• manute: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bali-rājam: King Bali
• bali-rājam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—बलिराज (कर्मधारयः: बलिः एव राजा)

• sureśvaram: lord of the gods
• sureśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—सुरेश्वर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: सुराणाम् ईश्वरः); द्वितीयापद-द्वयम्—‘बलिराजं सुरेश्वरम्’ (सम्बोधन/उपाधिरूपेण)

Speaker

Nārada (contextual, addressing Indra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial sabhā-like stage where famed apsarases (Rambhā, Menakā, Tilottamā) withhold attention from the addressed figure and instead direct reverence toward Bali, implying Bali’s overwhelming renown.

Characters & Entities

• Rambhā
• Menakā
• Tilottamā
• Bali
• Indra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly recognition shifts with fortune; authority without dharmic stability becomes socially invisible.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse contributes to the wider Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya narrative tapestry in Prabhāsa rather than naming a separate tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative comparison highlighting Bali’s perceived supremacy.