Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

आराधनीयाः सततं भूदेवा भूतिमीप्सता । प्रकोपनीया नैवैते तत्त्वज्ञा हि तपस्विनः

Transliteration

ārādhanīyāḥ satataṃ bhūdevā bhūtimīpsatā | prakopanīyā naivaite tattvajñā hi tapasvinaḥ

Translation

ഐശ്വര്യവും മംഗളവും ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ ‘ഭൂദേവ’ ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ സദാ ആരാധിക്കണം. അവരെ ഒരിക്കലും കോപിപ്പിക്കരുത്; തത്ത്വജ്ഞ തപസ്വികളാണ് യഥാർത്ഥ ദർശകർ.

Word by Word

• ārādhanīyāḥ: worthy to be worshipped
• ārādhanīyāḥ: Vidhyartha-predicate (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√rādh (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त, gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (कर्तव्य/योग्य): ‘to be worshipped’

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative): ‘constantly’

• bhūdevāḥ: brahmins (gods on earth)
• bhūdevāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: भूमेः देवाः (ब्राह्मणाः)

• bhūtim: prosperity; welfare
• bhūtim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• īpsatā: by one who desires
• īpsatā: Karta (Agent in instrumental—‘by one desiring’/करण-प्रयोग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √āp (धातु) desiderative base īps + शतृ (कृदन्त, present participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘desiring’

• prakopanīyāḥ: to be provoked (angered)
• prakopanīyāḥ: Vidhyartha-predicate (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√kup (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त, gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त; निषेधेन सह—‘not to be angered’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• eva: indeed; at all
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• tattvajñāḥ: knowers of truth
• tattvajñāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: तत्त्वं जानन्ति इति

• hi: for; indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): ‘for/indeed’

• tapasvinaḥ: ascetics
• tapasvinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Devarṣi (divine sage) addressing Rukmiṇī (deduced from context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (as ethical tīrtha-space)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Dvārakā respectfully offers water, food, and cloth to serene ascetics/brāhmaṇas; their tapas-tejas is shown as a gentle radiance, warning against provocation.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūdeva (Brāhmaṇa)
• Tapasvin
• Tattvajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prosperity and spiritual safety come from honoring truth-knowing ascetics and avoiding offenses against them.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Dvārakā Māhātmya, the ethic supports the sanctity of Dvārakā as a dharmic realm where sages and devotees are to be revered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral dharma is prescribed: continuous reverence (ārādhana) of bhūdevas and avoidance of provoking them.