Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

पूर्वरात्रांतरात्रेषु द्विजैर्यस्य विधीयते । स राजा सह राष्ट्रेण वर्धते ब्रह्मतेजसा

Transliteration

pūrvarātrāṃtarātreṣu dvijairyasya vidhīyate | sa rājā saha rāṣṭreṇa vardhate brahmatejasā

Translation

ആ രാജാവിനായി ദ്വിജർ രാത്രിയുടെ ആദ്യവും മദ്ധ്യവും യാമങ്ങളിൽ വിധിപൂർവ്വം കർമ്മങ്ങൾ നടത്തുമ്പോൾ, ആ രാജാവ് രാജ്യത്തോടുകൂടി ബ്രഹ്മതേജസ്സാൽ വർദ്ധിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• pūrva: former/previous
• pūrva: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; विशेषण (rātrāntareṣu)

• rātrāntareṣu: in the intervals of the night
• rātrāntareṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रात्र्यन्तर = रात्रेः अन्तरम्)

• dvijaiḥ: by the twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृसाधन (agent/instrument)

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक

• vidhīyate: is performed/ordained
• vidhīyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vidhā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saḥ: he/that
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अन्वादेश

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकारक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable), तृतीयासहयोगी

• rāṣṭreṇa: with the kingdom
• rāṣṭreṇa: Sahārtha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सह-योगे

• vardhate: grows/prospers
• vardhate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• brahmatejasā: by the splendor of Brahman (brahminical power)
• brahmatejasā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः तेजः)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from nearby verses identifying Brāhmaṇas as Śiva’s form)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience including patrons/rulers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night in Prabhāsa: brāhmaṇas perform rites in the first and middle watches; oil lamps glow; the king’s city is shown bright and orderly, crops abundant—visualizing ‘brahma-tejas’ as a golden aura spreading over the realm.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Rājā
• Rāṣṭra
• Brahma-tejas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting dharmic ritual life strengthens both ruler and realm through brahma-tejas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a field where dharma and ritual power flourish.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of rites by dvijas during night watches (implying japa, homa, or protective recitations) for the king’s welfare.