Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

प्रतीहारेण राजेन्द्र वचसा वारितो जनः । गतः सेनापतिः सैन्यं गृहीत्वा स्वनिकेतनम्

Transliteration

pratīhāreṇa rājendra vacasā vārito janaḥ | gataḥ senāpatiḥ sainyaṃ gṛhītvā svaniketanam

Translation

Ô roi éminent, la foule fut retenue par l’ordre du chambellan. Et le chef de l’armée, ayant rassemblé les troupes, se retira vers ses quartiers.

Word by Word

• प्रतीहारेण: by the doorkeeper/chamberlain
• प्रतीहारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• राजेन्द्र: O king
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः: ‘राजानां इन्द्रः’ (O king of kings)

• वचसा: by (his) word/order
• वचसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• वारितः: was stopped
• वारितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारि (धातु √वृ/√वार् ‘to restrain’) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘निवारितः’ (restrained)

• जनः: the crowd/people
• जनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गतः: went
• गतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘गच्छितः’ (went)

• सेनापतिः: the commander
• सेनापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘सेनायाः पतिः’ (commander)

• सैन्यम्: the army
• सैन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Gerund/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — पूर्वकालक्रिया (having taken)

• स्वनिकेतनम्: to his own residence/home
• स्वनिकेतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + निकेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘स्वस्य निकेतनम्’ (own residence)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic reciter, contextually Sūta-like narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A chamberlain raises his hand to halt the crowd at the palace gate while the commander gathers soldiers and withdraws; the atmosphere calms as the scene turns inward.

Characters & Entities

• rājendra (king)
• pratīhāra (chamberlain)
• senāpati (commander)
• sainya (troops)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes order and restraint—proper conduct safeguards sacred happenings from disorder.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, within the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse depicts courtly regulation supporting the unfolding sacred event.