Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

एते चान्ये च बहवो राजान इह चागताः । सेवाकरास्तव स्थाने नाजापाल इहो गतः

Transliteration

ete cānye ca bahavo rājāna iha cāgatāḥ | sevākarāstava sthāne nājāpāla iho gataḥ

Translation

ഇവരും മറ്റും അനേകം രാജാക്കന്മാരും ഇവിടെ എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു, നിങ്ങളുടെ സഭയിൽ സേവ ചെയ്യാൻ സന്നദ്ധരായി; എന്നാൽ അജാപാലൻ ഇവിടെ വന്നിട്ടില്ല.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• च: also
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• आगताः: have come
• आगताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अर्थः—‘having come’

• सेवाकराः: service-doers (attendants)
• सेवाकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवा + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सेवां करोति’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• स्थाने: in (your) place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• अजापालः: goat-herd
• अजापालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अजानां पालः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• उगतः: has come/gone
• उगतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उ + गम् (धातु) → उगत (क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘gone/come’ (context: ‘has come’)

Speaker

Daṇḍapāṇi (continuing his report to Rāvaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal court scene: many kings assembled in attendance, while one named Ajāpāla is conspicuously absent; courtiers whisper as the sovereign notes the missing vassal.

Characters & Entities

• Ajāpāla
• Kings (rājānaḥ)
• Rāvaṇa
• Daṇḍapāṇi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse contrasts conformity to power with refusal/absence, hinting that allegiance and service gain meaning only when aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra remains the overarching Māhātmya context; this verse itself is a narrative report.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns attendance and service at court.