Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 160

Devanagari script

अन्यत्र ब्राह्मणानां च कोटिना यत्फलं लभेत् । अर्कस्थले तथैकेन भोजितेन तु तत्फलम्

Transliteration

anyatra brāhmaṇānāṃ ca koṭinā yatphalaṃ labhet | arkasthale tathaikena bhojitena tu tatphalam

Translation

മറ്റിടങ്ങളിൽ ഒരു കോടി ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ ഭോജിപ്പിച്ചാൽ ലഭിക്കുന്ന ഫലം, അർക്കസ്ഥലത്തിൽ ഒരാളെ ഭോജിപ്പിച്ചാലും അതേ ഫലം ലഭിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• कोटिना: by a crore (ten million)
• कोटिना: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/परिमाणवाचक (instrumental of measure)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अर्कस्थले: at Arka-sthala (Sun’s place)
• अर्कस्थले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्कस्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—अर्कस्य स्थलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• भोजितेन: by (a single) feeding/meal given
• भोजितेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भुज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle used substantively)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from kṣetra-māhātmya merit-comparison statements)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arkasthala

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified inquirer

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Arkasthala, a pilgrim respectfully feeds a single brāhmaṇa; above, a symbolic scale shows the act equaling the feeding of countless brāhmaṇas elsewhere; Sūrya’s rays sanctify the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Arkasthala
• Prabhāsa
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity becomes exceptionally potent when performed in a highly sanctified kṣetra; place amplifies dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arkasthala within Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Feeding brāhmaṇas (bhojana-dāna), with a special statement of its amplified merit at Arkasthala.