Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

पांडुरारक्तपादाश्च विहगाः कालप्रेरिताः । वृष्ण्यन्धकगृहेष्वेवं कपोता व्यचरंस्तदा

Transliteration

pāṃḍurāraktapādāśca vihagāḥ kālapreritāḥ | vṛṣṇyandhakagṛheṣvevaṃ kapotā vyacaraṃstadā

Translation

କାଳର ପ୍ରେରଣାରେ ପାଣ୍ଡୁର-ରକ୍ତବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପାଦଯୁକ୍ତ ପକ୍ଷୀମାନେ ଦେଖାଦେଲେ; ତେବେ ବୃଷ୍ଣି ଓ ଅନ୍ଧକଙ୍କ ଗୃହରେ କପୋତମାନେ ସର୍ବତ୍ର ଘୁରିବୁଲିଲେ—ଏହା ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଶୁଭ ଲକ୍ଷଣ।

Word by Word

• पाण्डुरारक्तपादाः: having pale-reddish feet
• पाण्डुरारक्तपादाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डुर + रक्त + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समास: पाण्डुरौ च रक्तौ च पादौ यस्य (बहुव्रीहि), विशेषणम् (विहगाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• विहगाः: birds
• विहगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कालप्रेरिताः: impelled by Time (fate)
• कालप्रेरिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + प्रेरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समास: कालेन प्रेरिताः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); प्रेरित = क्त-प्रत्यय from प्रेर्/प्रेरय् (धातु)

• वृष्ण्यन्धकगृहेषु: in the houses of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas
• वृष्ण्यन्धकगृहेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णि + अन्धक + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समास: वृष्ण्यन्धकानां गृहेषु (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• कपोताः: pigeons
• कपोताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• व्यचरन्: they moved about, wandered
• व्यचरन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातु: चर्, उपसर्ग: वि

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya; likely Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pigeons with unusually pale-reddish feet wander restlessly through Vṛṣṇi-Andhaka houses, as if driven by Time; residents watch, sensing an omen in the mundane.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣṇi
• Andhaka
• Kāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When Kāla turns, even ordinary creatures become signs; one should not ignore dharmic warnings and should seek refuge in sacred practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as the stage where destiny unfolds and where remembrance of dharma is heightened.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is an omen-verse (nimitta-varṇana).