Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

प्रेक्षकैश्चेष्टितः शश्वदारटन्विविधैः स्वरैः । संयम्य नीयते हन्तुं लज्जितोऽधोमुखो जनाः

Transliteration

prekṣakaiśceṣṭitaḥ śaśvadāraṭanvividhaiḥ svaraiḥ | saṃyamya nīyate hantuṃ lajjito'dhomukho janāḥ

Translation

प्रेक्षकांच्या आरडाओरड्याने आणि विविध आवाजांनी वेढलेला, त्याला बांधून वधासाठी नेले जात आहे. हे लोकांनो, तो लज्जित होऊन मान खाली घालून चालला आहे.

Word by Word

• प्रेक्षकैः: by the onlookers
• प्रेक्षकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• ईष्टितः: gestured/acted (as a spectacle)
• ईष्टितः: Kriya/Visheshana (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईष्टित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पाठभेद/अर्थः—चेष्टितः इति (gestured/acted)

• शश्वत्: constantly, repeatedly
• शश्वत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• आ-रटन-विविधैः: with various cries/shouts
• आ-रटन-विविधैः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-रटन + विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (स्वरैः सह), तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आ-रटनस्य विविधाः)

• स्वरैः: with voices/sounds
• स्वरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• संयम्य: having restrained
• संयम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+यम् (धातु) → संयम्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), अर्थः—बद्ध्वा/निगृह्य (having restrained)

• नीयते: is being led
• नीयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हन्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• लज्जितः: ashamed
• लज्जितः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लज्ज् (धातु) → लज्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (ashamed)

• अधोमुखः: down-faced, looking down
• अधोमुखः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधः + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अधो मुखं यस्य)

• जनाः: people (onlookers)
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Festival announcers/performers (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bound man, head bowed, is dragged toward execution; spectators shout in varied voices, some pointing, some jeering; guards restrain him firmly. The sacred horizon (temple spire/sea line) contrasts with the noisy crowd.

Characters & Entities

• prekṣaka (spectators)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wrongdoing culminates in shame and loss of dignity; public moral theatre reinforces accountability and fear of pāpa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where communal participation (prekṣakas) supports dharmic instruction during festivals.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A festival enactment in which spectators’ cries accompany the restrained offender being led for punishment, serving as a deterrent lesson.