Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

देवाधीनाः प्रजाः सर्वा यज्ञाधीनाश्च देवताः । ते यज्ञा ब्राह्मणाधीनास्तस्माद्देवा द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

devādhīnāḥ prajāḥ sarvā yajñādhīnāśca devatāḥ | te yajñā brāhmaṇādhīnāstasmāddevā dvijottamāḥ

Translation

സകല പ്രജകളും ദേവന്മാരിൽ ആശ്രിതരാണ്; ദേവതകൾ യജ്ഞത്തിൽ ആശ്രിതരാണ്. ആ യജ്ഞങ്ങൾ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരിൽ ആശ്രിതമാണ്; അതുകൊണ്ട് ദ്വിജോത്തമന്മാരാണ് (ഭൂമിയിൽ) ദേവസ്വരൂപർ.

Word by Word

• देवाधीनाः: dependent on the gods
• देवाधीनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् अधीनाः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (प्रजाः)

• यज्ञाधीनाः: dependent on sacrifices
• यज्ञाधीनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (यज्ञानाम् अधीनाः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (देवताः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• देवताः: deities
• देवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• यज्ञाः: sacrifices
• यज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणाधीनाः: dependent on Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाधीनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (ब्राह्मणानाम् अधीनाः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (यज्ञाः)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति तद्धित-निपातवत्; हेत्वर्थक अव्यय (ablatival adverb “therefore/from that”)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic ‘chain’ scene: villagers/prājā in lower register, devatās above receiving offerings, a yajña fire at center, and brāhmaṇas officiating as the pivotal link; arrows or visual flow indicates dependence.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Prajā
• Yajña
• Brāhmaṇa
• Dvijottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic welfare is linked to yajña, and yajña is linked to brāhmaṇa stewardship; dharma sustains the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the tīrtha narrative emphasizes yajña-centered dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It underscores yajña as essential and implies supporting qualified Brāhmaṇas who maintain sacrificial rites.