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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

धर्माभावाद्वयं सर्वे संदेहं परमं गताः । तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ध्यात्वा देवः पितामहः । अब्रवीत्त्रिदशान्सर्वान्सन्देहं परमं गतान्

dharmābhāvādvayaṃ sarve saṃdehaṃ paramaṃ gatāḥ | teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā dhyātvā devaḥ pitāmahaḥ | abravīttridaśānsarvānsandehaṃ paramaṃ gatān

“Karena ketiadaan dharma, kami semua jatuh ke dalam keraguan yang terdalam.” Mendengar ucapan mereka dan bermeditasi, Dewa Pitāmaha Brahmā pun berbicara kepada semua dewa yang tenggelam dalam kebimbangan besar itu.

dharma-abhāvātfrom the absence of dharma
dharma-abhāvāt:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootdharma (प्रातिपदिक) + abhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य अभावः)
vayamwe
vayam:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
sarveall
sarve:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण
saṃdehamdoubt
saṃdeham:
Gati/Karma (Goal/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṃdeha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
paramamsupreme, extreme
paramam:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण
gatāḥhave gone/attained
gatāḥ:
Kriya (State/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootgam (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (predicative participle)
teṣāmof them
teṣām:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन
tad-vacanamtheir/that statement
tad-vacanam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य वचनम्)
śrutvāhaving heard
śrutvā:
Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootśru (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया
dhyātvāhaving meditated/reflected
dhyātvā:
Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootdhyai (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया
devaḥthe god
devaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
pitāmahaḥGrandfather (Brahmā)
pitāmahaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; देवः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन
abravītsaid, spoke
abravīt:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbrū (धातु) + a- (आगम/अङ्गवृद्धि)
Formलुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
tridaśānthe gods (thirty-three)
tridaśān:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottridaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन
sarvānall
sarvān:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण
saṃdehamdoubt
saṃdeham:
Gati/Karma (Goal/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṃdeha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
paramamsupreme, extreme
paramam:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण
gatānwho had gone/attained
gatān:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootgam (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मपद-विशेषण (those who had gone)

Narrator (transition to Brahmā’s response)

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame assumed)

Scene: Brahmā hears the sages’ despair, closes his eyes in meditation, then addresses the assembled devas who are also in doubt—an image of calm authority emerging from crisis.

B
Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
T
Tridaśa (Devas)
D
Dharma

FAQs

Absence of dharma breeds existential doubt; restoration begins when higher wisdom (Brahmā’s discernment) guides the community.

The Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya provides the sacred frame, linking cosmic counsel to the sanctity of Prabhāsa.

No direct prescription; the verse emphasizes dhyāna (contemplation) as Brahmā prepares to give guidance.