Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

यथा रुद्रा यथा देवा मरुतो वसवोऽश्विनौ । ब्रह्मा च सोमसूर्यौ च तथा लोके द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

yathā rudrā yathā devā maruto vasavo'śvinau | brahmā ca somasūryau ca tathā loke dvijottamāḥ

Translation

ಯಥಾ ರುದ್ರರು, ದೇವರು, ಮರುತರು, ವಸುಗಳು, ಅಶ್ವಿನೀದೇವತೆಗಳು ಇದ್ದಾರೋ; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ, ಸೋಮ, ಸೂರ್ಯರು ಇದ್ದಾರೋ—ಅದೇ ರೀತಿಯಾಗಿ ಈ ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ದ್ವಿಜೋತ್ತಮರು (ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು) ಇದ್ದಾರೆ.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक/तुलनार्थक (indeclinable; comparative particle “as/just as”)

• रुद्राः: Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक/तुलनार्थक

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• मरुतः: Maruts
• मरुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (मरुतः = मरुतः/मरुतः, Vedic/epic plural)

• वसवः: Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• अश्विनौ: the two Aśvins
• अश्विनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक ब्रह्मन्, रूपम् ब्रह्मा)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction “and”)

• सोमसूर्यौ: Soma and Sūrya
• सोमसूर्यौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक/एवमेव (indeclinable “so/likewise”)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand tableau: rows of divine hosts—Rudras, Maruts, Vasus, Aśvins—on one side; on the other, a line of dignified brāhmaṇas, visually echoing the divine ranks, suggesting equivalence in honor.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Deva
• Marut
• Vasu
• Aśvin
• Brahmā
• Soma
• Sūrya
• Dvijottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It elevates the dharmic Brāhmaṇa as a terrestrial counterpart to divine classes, urging reverence and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the text reinforces tīrtha dharma through honoring sacred persons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is a theological comparison supporting reverence.