Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 48
Devanagari script
करे ग्रहीतुमारब्धाः स्वकरैर्हृष्टमानसाः । गजस्तान्करसंलग्नान्विचिक्षेप तपोधनान्
Transliteration
kare grahītumārabdhāḥ svakarairhṛṣṭamānasāḥ | gajastānkarasaṃlagnānvicikṣepa tapodhanān
Translation
喜びに満ちて、彼らは自らの手で象の鼻をつかもうとした。だが象は、鼻にしがみついた苦行者たちを投げ飛ばした。
Word by Word
karein/at the hand
kare:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootkara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Locative, Singular)
grahītumto seize
grahītum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootgrah (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तः अव्यय-भावः (Infinitive)
ārabdhāḥhaving begun, attempting
ārabdhāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootārabdha (कृदन्त; rabh धातु से क्त, आ-उपसर्ग)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
sva-karaiḥwith their own hands
sva-karaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsva + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)
hṛṣṭa-mānasāḥwith delighted minds
hṛṣṭa-mānasāḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roothṛṣṭa + mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); बहुव्रीहिः—‘हृष्टं मानसं येषाम्’ (whose minds are delighted)
gajaḥthe elephant
gajaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgaja (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)
tānthose (men)
tān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)
kara-saṃlagnānclinging to (his) hand
kara-saṃlagnān:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkara + saṃlagna (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; lag धातु से क्त, सम्-उपसर्ग)
Formपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)
vicikṣepahe threw away/scattered
vicikṣepa:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvi-kṣip (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)
tapo-dhanānascetics (rich in austerity)
tapo-dhanān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottapas + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural); बहुव्रीहिः—‘तपो धनं येषाम्’ (whose wealth is austerity)
Speaker
Sūta (contextual narrator) describing the sages’ encounter
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A group of joyous ascetics rush to seize an elephant’s trunk; the elephant suddenly jerks and flings them aside, dust rising, palms swaying, expressions shifting from delight to shock.
Characters & Entities
T
Tapodhanas (ascetics)G
Gaja (elephant)FAQs
In tīrtha narratives, unexpected resistance tests pride and curiosity, preparing seekers for deeper revelation.
Prabhāsa-kṣetra; the episode unfolds near Kubera’s āśrama within the māhātmya.
None explicitly; the verse advances the sacred-place narrative toward a divine disclosure.