Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

पातित्यं जायतेऽस्माकं श्रुतिस्मृतिविगर्हितम् । श्रुतिस्मृती हि रुद्रस्य यस्मादाज्ञाद्वयं महत्

Transliteration

pātityaṃ jāyate'smākaṃ śrutismṛtivigarhitam | śrutismṛtī hi rudrasya yasmādājñādvayaṃ mahat

Translation

ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് പാതിത്യം (പാപപതനം) സംഭവിക്കുന്നു; അത് ശ്രുതി-സ്മൃതികളാൽ നിന്ദിതം. കാരണം ശ്രുതിയും സ്മൃതിയും രുദ്രന്റെ രണ്ട് മഹത്തായ ആജ്ഞകളാണ്।

Word by Word

• पातित्यम्: falling (from dharma), sinfulness
• पातित्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जायते: arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अस्माकम्: for us / of us
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रुति-स्मृति-विगर्हितम्: condemned by Śruti and Smṛti
• श्रुति-स्मृति-विगर्हितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + विगर्हित (कृदन्त; वि-√गर्ह् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘पातित्यम्’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्यां विगर्हितम्)

• श्रुति-स्मृती: Śruti and Smṛti
• श्रुति-स्मृती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (श्रुतिः च स्मृतिः च)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• रुद्रस्य: of Rudra
• रुद्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यस्मात्: from whom/wherefrom
• यस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• आज्ञा-द्वयम्: the two commands
• आज्ञा-द्वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (द्वे आज्ञे/आज्ञाद्वयम्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘आज्ञाद्वयम्’

Speaker

Unspecified (dialogue context within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya; likely a ritualist/Brāhmaṇa voice addressing Soma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of priests and elders at Prabhāsa debating ritual conduct; a senior ācārya points to palm-leaf manuscripts of Śruti and Smṛti, declaring them Rudra’s commands and warning against pātitya.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Śruti
• Smṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is safeguarded by obeying Śruti and Smṛti, understood here as Rudra’s authoritative commands.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), presented as a dharmic field where correct śāstric conduct is emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general prescription: do not transgress Śruti–Smṛti; uphold their injunctions as divine command.