Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

नाह्लादं कुरुते चेतः स्नानदानजपेषु च । ब्रह्माणं प्रार्थयिष्यामो गत्वा ब्रह्मनिकेतनम्

Transliteration

nāhlādaṃ kurute cetaḥ snānadānajapeṣu ca | brahmāṇaṃ prārthayiṣyāmo gatvā brahmaniketanam

Translation

ഇനി സ്നാനം, ദാനം, ജപം എന്നിവയിൽ നമ്മുടെ മനസ്സിന് ആനന്ദമില്ല. ബ്രഹ്മനികേതനത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി ബ്രഹ്മദേവനെ പ്രാർത്ഥിച്ച് മാർഗ്ഗദർശനം തേടാം.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• āhlādam: delight
• āhlādam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhlāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• kurute: produces/does
• kurute: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• cetaḥ: the mind
• cetaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• snāna-dāna-japeṣu: in bathing, charity, and japa
• snāna-dāna-japeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna + dāna + japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; अधिकरण (in bathing, giving, and recitation)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• prārthayiṣyāmaḥ: we will beseech
• prārthayiṣyāmaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-arth (धातु) (प्रार्थयति)
• Form: लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: gam (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having gone)

• brahma-niketanam: Brahmā’s abode
• brahma-niketanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma + niketana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-कर्म (destination as object of gatvā)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (implied collective resolve; narrative context within Īśvara’s telling)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of austere sages sit with downcast yet resolute faces, their ritual implements set aside; they decide to journey upward to Brahmā’s radiant lotus-throne realm to ask for guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brahma-niketana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When routine rites lose inner vitality, one should seek higher guidance to restore dharmic clarity and purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya; this verse pivots to Brahmā’s abode (Brahma-niketana) as part of the sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing), dāna (charity), and japa (recitation) are referenced as foundational practices, though the verse emphasizes inner disposition rather than procedure.