Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कतिप्रकारास्ते विप्रास्तत्र क्षेत्रनिवासिनः । किमाचारा महादेव किंशीलाः किंपरायणाः

Transliteration

katiprakārāste viprāstatra kṣetranivāsinaḥ | kimācārā mahādeva kiṃśīlāḥ kiṃparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

ഓ മഹാദേവാ! ആ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്ന വിപ്രർ എത്രവിധം? അവരുടെ ആചാരം എന്ത്, സ്വഭാവം എങ്ങനെയാണ്, അവർ ഏതിനെയാണ് പരമാശ്രയമായി സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നത്?

Word by Word

• कति: how many
• कति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कति (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नसंख्यावाचक; ‘प्रकाराः’ इति विशेषण (how many)

• प्रकाराः: types, kinds
• प्रकाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इति विशेषण (those)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• क्षेत्रनिवासिनः: residing in the sacred place
• क्षेत्रनिवासिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्र-निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: क्षेत्र + निवासिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इति विशेषण

• किम्: what kind of?
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘आचाराः’ इति विशेषण (interrogative)

• आचाराः: conducts, practices
• आचाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• किम्: what kind of?
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘शीलाः’ इति विशेषण

• शीलाः: dispositions, virtues
• शीलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• किम्: what (are they) devoted to?
• किम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘परायणाः’ इति विशेषण

• परायणाः: devoted, intent upon
• परायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इत्यर्थे विशेषण (devoted/intent upon)

Speaker

Pārvatī (Mahādevī), addressing Śiva (Īśvara/Mahādeva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A direct address to Mahādeva asking for typology and defining traits of Prabhāsa’s resident brāhmaṇas: their conduct, character, and highest devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Mahādeva
• vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is understood through the dharma and lived conduct of those who dwell and serve there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Prabhāsa), presented as a sacred field whose residents embody tīrtha-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; this verse initiates an inquiry into the conduct and devotion of the kṣetra’s Brāhmaṇas.