Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ततः स कौतुकाविष्टस्तेषां युद्धार्थमेव हि । प्राक्षिपत्तत्र रत्नानि सुवर्णं च महीतले

Transliteration

tataḥ sa kautukāviṣṭasteṣāṃ yuddhārthameva hi | prākṣipattatra ratnāni suvarṇaṃ ca mahītale

Translation

പിന്നീട് അദ്ദേഹം കൗതുകാവേശത്തോടെ, അവരെ കലഹത്തിലേക്ക് പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കാനായി, അവിടെ നിലത്തേക്ക് രത്നങ്ങളും സ്വർണ്ണവും എറിഞ്ഞുവിട്ടു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/कालवाचक (thereafter)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कौतुकाविष्टः: seized by excitement/curiosity
• कौतुकाविष्टः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतुक + आविष्ट (आ√विश् धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (‘कौतुकं आविष्टः’ = seized by curiosity/excitement)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• युद्धार्थम्: for the sake of fighting
• युद्धार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘युद्धस्य अर्थः’ = for fighting)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक (for/indeed)

• प्राक्षिपत्: threw
• प्राक्षिपत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘he threw/cast’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• रत्नानि: gems
• रत्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• सुवर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• महीतले: on the ground
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘मही + तल’ = ground of the earth)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced ongoing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī / Pārvatī (carried context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the sandy ground of Prabhāsa, the yajamāna scatters glittering jewels and gold; brāhmaṇas surge forward, faces shifting from composure to desire, the moment poised on the edge of quarrel.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brāhmaṇas
• Ratna (jewels)
• Suvarṇa (gold)
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to wealth can quickly turn sacred contexts into conflict; dharma requires vigilance against greed even after ritual success.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the post-yajña episode unfolds near the celebrated liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None as a prescription; it narrates a test involving wealth (gold and jewels) in the aftermath of yajña/dakṣiṇā expectations.