Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 131

Devanagari script

एवं संपूज्य विधि वत्कृत्वा पितृप्रदक्षिणाम् । प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं तत्र चार्कस्थलं प्रिये

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃpūjya vidhi vatkṛtvā pitṛpradakṣiṇām | praṇamya śirasā devaṃ tatra cārkasthalaṃ priye

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം പൂജ ചെയ്തു, പിതൃപ്രദക്ഷിണയും നിർവഹിച്ചു, ശിരസാ ദേവനെ നമസ്കരിച്ചു; പിന്നെ, പ്രിയേ, അവിടെ അർക്കസ്ഥലത്തിലേക്ക് പോകണം.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• संपूज्य: having worshipped well
• संपूज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having duly worshipped’

• विधिवत्: according to rule
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done/performed’

• पितृप्रदक्षिणाम्: circumambulation for the ancestors
• पितृप्रदक्षिणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—पितॄणां प्रदक्षिणा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having bowed’

• शिरसा: with (one's) head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्कस्थलम्: the Sun's sacred spot (Arkasthala)
• अर्कस्थलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—अर्कस्य स्थलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रिये: O beloved (lady)
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arkasthala

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as priye)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After completing worship, the pilgrim circumambulates with remembrance of the Pitṛs, bows fully, and sets out along a sacred path toward Arkasthala.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Deva
• Arka (Sūrya)
• Arkasthala
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is practiced through correct sequence: honoring gods and ancestors, then approaching the tīrtha with humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arkasthala within Prabhāsa-kṣetra, a Sun-associated sacred spot in the Prabhāsa Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform worship according to rule, do Pitṛ-pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation for ancestors), then bow and proceed to Arkasthala.