Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । प्रभूतनियमैर्होमैर्व्रतस्नानैश्च नित्यशः । उपवासैश्च निर्विण्णा वयं सर्वे पितामह

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | prabhūtaniyamairhomairvratasnānaiśca nityaśaḥ | upavāsaiśca nirviṇṇā vayaṃ sarve pitāmaha

Translation

ਰਿਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ: ਹੇ ਪਿਤਾਮਹ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਜੀ, ਅਸੀਂ ਸਭ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੇ ਨਿਯਮਾਂ, ਹੋਮਾਂ, ਨਿੱਤ ਦੇ ਵਰਤ-ਸਨਾਨਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਉਪਵਾਸਾਂ ਕਰਕੇ ਥੱਕ ਚੁੱਕੇ ਹਾਂ।

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• प्रभूतनियमैः: by many disciplines/observances
• प्रभूतनियमैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभूत (प्रातिपदिक) + नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (प्रभूताः नियमाः)

• होमैः: by fire-offerings
• होमैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• व्रतस्नानैः: by vows and baths
• व्रतस्नानैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (व्रतानि च स्नानानि च)

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

• नित्यशः: always; regularly
• नित्यशः: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always/regularly)

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• निर्विण्णाः: have become weary/disheartened
• निर्विण्णाः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+विद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् वयम्

• पितामह: O Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामह: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Acaleśvara/Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages, visibly austere and worn from prolonged observances, speak candidly to Brahmā, palms joined, seeking relief through true counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External austerities alone can become exhausting; the sages seek a more accessible, grace-filled means to spiritual progress.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is set within Arbuda-khaṇḍa (Mount Arbuda region); the specific sanctified spot is introduced shortly after as Brahmā’s “mahāpada.”

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Niyama (disciplines), homa (oblations), vrata (vows), snāna (ritual bathing), and upavāsa (fasting) are referenced as regularly performed austerities.