Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

एतेषां क्षेत्रपालानां सस्त्रीणां च द्विजोत्तमाः । नेता प्रभु श्च स्वामी च जयन्तः पालकस्तथा

Transliteration

eteṣāṃ kṣetrapālānāṃ sastrīṇāṃ ca dvijottamāḥ | netā prabhu śca svāmī ca jayantaḥ pālakastathā

Translation

ਹੇ ਦਵਿਜੋਤਮੋ, ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਖੇਤਰਪਾਲਾਂ ਦੇ—ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਪਤਨੀਆਂ ਸਮੇਤ—ਜਯੰਤ ਹੀ ਨੇਤਾ, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ, ਸਵਾਮੀ ਅਤੇ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਪਾਲਕ ਵੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• क्षेत्रपालानाम्: of the field-guardians
• क्षेत्रपालानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘क्षेत्रस्य पालाः’

• सस्त्रीणाम्: of (them) together with their women
• सस्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘स-’ उपसर्गार्थः ‘सहित’ (with their women)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana/Addressed (सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘द्विजेषु उत्तमाः’ (सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा)

• नेता: leader
• नेता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रभुः: lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• स्वामी: master
• स्वामी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• जयन्तः: Jayanta
• जयन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• पालकः: protector
• पालकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालक (प्रातिपदिक; √पाल् (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: also / thus
• तथा: Samuccaya/Prakāra (Also/Thus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (adverb: ‘thus/also’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra (Jayanta’s guardianship)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Jayanta stands centrally as the authoritative guardian-lord, with attendant kṣetrapālas and their consorts arranged in a protective semicircle, signifying command and coordinated vigilance.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapālas
• Jayanta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection is organized and hierarchical; recognizing the chief guardian reflects respect for the sacred order (ṛta/dharma) of the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, through identification of Jayanta as the principal protector of its kṣetrapālas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, honoring the guardians under their chief (Jayanta) as part of proper tīrtha etiquette; no specific offering is detailed here.