Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

राजसास्तामसाश्चैव पापोपहतचेतसः । परदारपरद्रव्यपरहिंसारता नराः

Transliteration

rājasāstāmasāścaiva pāpopahatacetasaḥ | paradāraparadravyaparahiṃsāratā narāḥ

Translation

അവർ രജസ്-തമസ് ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ നയിക്കപ്പെടുന്നവർ, പാപം കൊണ്ട് മുറിവേറ്റ ചിത്തമുള്ളവർ—പരസ്ത്രീ, പരധനം, പരഹിംസ എന്നിവയിൽ രതരായ നരർ.

Word by Word

• राजसाः: rajasic
• राजसाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; गुणविशेषणम् (masculine nominative plural; adjective)

• तामसाः: tamasic
• तामसाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; गुणविशेषणम् (masculine nominative plural; adjective)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of emphasis)

• पापोपहतचेतसः: whose minds are struck by sin
• पापोपहतचेतसः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + उपहत + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पापेन उपहतं चेतः येषाम्) (masculine nominative plural; tatpurusha)

• परदारपरद्रव्यपरहिंसारताः: addicted to others' wives, others' wealth, and harming others
• परदारपरद्रव्यपरहिंसारताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परदार + परद्रव्य + परहिंसा + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (परदारे, परद्रव्ये, परहिंसायां रताः) (masculine nominative plural; tatpurusha)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (masculine nominative plural)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark tableau of Kali-yuga men: one covets another’s wealth, another pursues another’s spouse, another raises a weapon—while the distant Prabhāsa shrine stands serene, untouched by their turmoil.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga (implicit)
• Prabhāsa (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage cannot sanctify a life anchored in lust, greed, and violence; inner transformation is essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa remains the contextual focus, while this verse diagnoses the unworthiness of certain visitors.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is prescribed; ethical restraints (non-violence, non-stealing, fidelity) are implied as prerequisites.