Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

धिङ्ममार्थं तथा मद्यं महिमानमकीर्तिदम् । येना विष्टेन सुमहन्मया पापमिदं कृतम्

Transliteration

dhiṅmamārthaṃ tathā madyaṃ mahimānamakīrtidam | yenā viṣṭena sumahanmayā pāpamidaṃ kṛtam

Translation

‘ನನ್ನ ಅಹಂಕಾರಕ್ಕೂ, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಮದ್ಯಕ್ಕೂ ಧಿಕ್ಕಾರ—ಅದು ನಿಜವಾದ ಮಹಿಮೆಯನ್ನು ಕಸಿದು ಅಪಕೀರ್ತಿಯನ್ನೇ ನೀಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಆ ಹೀನ ಮತ್ತಿನಿಂದಲೇ ನಾನು ಈ ಮಹಾಪಾಪವನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿದೆನು।’

Word by Word

• धिङ्: shame! fie!
• धिङ्: Sambandha (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिङ् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग (pronoun), षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: wealth, gain, purpose
• अर्थम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘so/likewise’)

• मद्यम्: liquor, intoxicant
• मद्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महिमानम्: greatness, glory
• महिमानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अकीर्तिदम्: giving ill-fame; disgrace-causing
• अकीर्तिदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकीर्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) ‘to give’ → द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महिमानम्)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विष्टेन: by excrement; by filth
• विष्टेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पापम्)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग (pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पापम्: sin, evil deed
• पापम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here with passive verb as object/result

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• कृतम्: done, committed
• कृतम्: Kriyā (Predicative action/result)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense), भूतकालिक-कर्तरि/कर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate with पापम्

Speaker

Balarāma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience / pilgrims (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Balarāma condemns pride and liquor; he gestures as if casting away a cup, his posture firming into resolve for expiation.

Characters & Entities

• Balarāma
• Madya (liquor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Intoxication and ego corrode discernment and fame; dharma demands sobriety, self-control, and accountability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the fallen seeker turns toward cleansing and restoration of dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it provides the ethical basis for undertaking prāyaścitta.