Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

तावदन्ये द्विजास्तत्र दक्षिणार्थं समागताः । देशीयास्तत्र वास्तव्याः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः

Transliteration

tāvadanye dvijāstatra dakṣiṇārthaṃ samāgatāḥ | deśīyāstatra vāstavyāḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

Translation

ଏହି ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅନ୍ୟ ଦ୍ୱିଜମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦକ୍ଷିଣା ପାଇଁ ସେଠାକୁ ଆସିଲେ—ସେହି ଦେଶର ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ବାସିନ୍ଦା, ଶତଶଃ ଓ ସହସ୍ରଶଃ।

Word by Word

• तावत्: then/so long
• तावत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/परिमाणवाचक) = indeclinable (temporal/quantitative: 'so long/then')

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन = Masculine, Nominative plural

• द्विजाः: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन = Masculine, Nominative plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = indeclinable adverb of place

• दक्षिणार्थम्: for (receiving) gifts/dakṣiṇā
• दक्षिणार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative singular; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उद्देश्य: 'for the purpose of dakṣiṇā')

• समागताः: assembled/came together
• समागताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु) → समागत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन = PPP, Masculine nominative plural; क्रियार्थे प्रयुक्त (came/assembled)

• देशीयाः: locals/people of the region
• देशीयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देशीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन = Masculine, Nominative plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = indeclinable adverb of place

• वास्तव्याः: (who) should reside
• वास्तव्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस् (धातु) → वास्तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन = Masculine nominative plural; 'to be dwelt/should reside'

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक) = indeclinable adverb 'by hundreds'

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/समुच्चय) = indeclinable particle 'then/and'

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक) = indeclinable adverb 'by thousands'

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hundreds and thousands of local brāhmaṇas arrive at Prabhāsa seeking dakṣiṇā, creating a swelling crowd and a sense of impending complication.

Characters & Entities

• Dwijas (Brāhmaṇas)
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual acts create social and dharmic obligations—dakṣiṇā supports the learned, and tīrthas become hubs of religious service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, depicted as a major sacred center drawing large assemblies.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dakṣiṇā (sacrificial remuneration) expected in connection with satra/yajña performance.