Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

तेन प्रलुप्तं विप्राणां शासनं महदद्भुतम् । वर्तता जैनधर्मेण प्रेरितेनेंद्रसूरिणा

Transliteration

tena praluptaṃ viprāṇāṃ śāsanaṃ mahadadbhutam | vartatā jainadharmeṇa preriteneṃdrasūriṇā

Translation

അവനാൽ വിപ്രന്മാരുടെ ദീർഘകാലം സ്ഥാപിതമായ മഹത്തും അത്ഭുതകരവുമായ ശാസനം ലംഘിക്കപ്പെട്ടു; ഇന്ദ്രസൂരിയുടെ പ്രേരണയാൽ അവൻ ജൈനധർമ്മം അനുസരിച്ച് ജീവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• प्रलुप्तम्: was taken away/destroyed
• प्रलुप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-लुप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘destroyed/robbed’

• विप्राणाम्: of the Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• शासनम्: rule/edict; authority
• शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् शासनस्य

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful/astonishing
• अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् शासनस्य

• वर्तता: by (one) who was acting/prevailing
• वर्तता: Karana (Instrument/agentive means/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by (one) acting/being’

• जैनधर्मेण: by the Jain religion
• जैनधर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैनधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: जैन + धर्म (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• प्रेरितेन: impelled/instigated
• प्रेरितेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईर्/प्रेर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् इन्द्रसूरिणः

• इन्द्रसूरिणा: by Indrasūri
• इन्द्रसूरिणा: Karana (Agent/instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रसूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (Viprāḥ)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Narādhipa (the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmins describe a revered, long-standing ordinance being overturned by a royal figure influenced by a Jain teacher; faces show grief and urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Kumārapālaka (implied by ‘tena’)
• viprāḥ
• śāsana
• Jaina dharma
• Indrasūri

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When inherited dharmic ordinances are disrupted, society loses stability; rulers must discern and protect just tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Dharmāraṇya-linked grievance but does not newly praise a tīrtha; it stresses protection of local dharmic order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is the alleged breach of established śāsana (religious-social ordinance).