Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

उच्छिन्नेषु च यज्ञेषु दानेषु नृपसत्तम । इन्द्राद्यास्त्रिदशाः सर्वे परं दुःखमुपागताः

Transliteration

ucchinneṣu ca yajñeṣu dāneṣu nṛpasattama | indrādyāstridaśāḥ sarve paraṃ duḥkhamupāgatāḥ

Translation

ഹേ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! യജ്ഞങ്ങളും ദാനങ്ങളും മുറിഞ്ഞുപോയപ്പോൾ ഇന്ദ്രാദി എല്ലാ ദേവന്മാരും പരമദുഃഖത്തിലായി.

Word by Word

• उच्छिन्नेषु: when (they are) discontinued
• उच्छिन्नेषु: Adhikarana (Locative absolute-like setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत् + छिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘उच्छिन्न’ (cut off/ceased), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (यज्ञेषु, दानेषु)

• च: and
• च: Nipata (Conjunction/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• यज्ञेषु: in sacrifices
• यज्ञेषु: Adhikarana (Location/Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• दानेषु: in gifts (acts of giving)
• दानेषु: Adhikarana (Location/Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृपाणां सत्तमः)

• इन्द्राद्याः: Indra and others
• इन्द्राद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ प्रत्ययार्थक (beginning with Indra)

• त्रिदशाः: the gods (Tridaśas)
• त्रिदशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + दश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः दश = 30; देवगणवाचक)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (त्रिदशाः)

• परम्: great, extreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (दुःखम्)

• दुःखम्: sorrow, suffering
• दुःखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपागताः: have come to, have reached
• उपागताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-विशेषण (past participle) ‘उपागत’ (having reached), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे

Speaker

Unspecified in excerpt (narrative voice addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddheśvara (contextual cause)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa-sattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In Svarga, Indra and the devas appear diminished and sorrowful as yajña-smoke no longer rises from earth; below, earth’s altars are extinguished.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Tridaśas (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharmic supports like yajña and dāna cease, even the divine order is depicted as shaken, showing their cosmic importance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider context continues the Siddheśvara-centered Arbuda sacred geography, though this verse highlights the decline of rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references yajña (sacrifice) and dāna (charity) as essential dharmic practices, without specifying a particular procedure.