Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 122

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचारिव्रता दूर्ध्वं योगं पाशुपतं श्रिताः । प्राचीनकर्मसंस्कारात्ते पुनर्मामुपासते

Transliteration

brahmacārivratā dūrdhvaṃ yogaṃ pāśupataṃ śritāḥ | prācīnakarmasaṃskārātte punarmāmupāsate

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മചര്യവ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ച് അവർ ഉന്നതമായ പാശുപതയോഗം ആശ്രയിക്കുന്നു; പ്രാചീന കർമ്മസംസ്കാരങ്ങളുടെ ബലത്തിൽ അവർ വീണ്ടും എന്നെയേ ഉപാസിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचारि-व्रताः: observing the brahmacarya vow
• ब्रह्मचारि-व्रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—ब्रह्मचारिणां व्रतम्/ब्रह्मचारिव्रतं येषाम् (व्रतधारिणः)

• दूर्ध्वम्: upwards/aloft
• दूर्ध्वम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर्ध्वम् (अव्यय/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘ऊर्ध्वम्’ अर्थे (upwards/aloft)

• योगम्: yoga
• योगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाशुपतम्: Pāśupata
• पाशुपतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘योगम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• श्रिताः: having resorted to
• श्रिताः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कर्तरि कृदन्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अर्थे—‘आश्रितवन्तः’

• प्राचीन-कर्म-संस्कारात्: due to the impressions of former deeds
• प्राचीन-कर्म-संस्कारात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राचीन (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला—प्राचीनस्य कर्मणः संस्कारः; तस्मात्

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

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपासते: worship/attend upon
• उपासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present Indicative); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī / Umā (context continues into next verse addressing the Goddess)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetics in Prabhāsa observe brahmacarya and practice Pāśupata-yoga, their devotion rekindled by ancient saṃskāras, turning again to Śiva in worship.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacarya
• Pāśupata-yoga
• Karma-saṃskāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows like brahmacarya and disciplined yoga refine the mind; past karmic impressions can mature into renewed devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where Śaiva observances such as Pāśupata practice are framed within the kṣetra’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brahmacarya-vrata and adoption of Pāśupata-yoga as a formal spiritual discipline.