Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

भवन्तौ नेच्छति द्रष्टुं राजा दुर्नयकारिणौ । तत्रस्थः पृष्टवान्भूयः प्रतीहारं नरः स्वयम्

Transliteration

bhavantau necchati draṣṭuṃ rājā durnayakāriṇau | tatrasthaḥ pṛṣṭavānbhūyaḥ pratīhāraṃ naraḥ svayam

Translation

“ਰਾਜਾ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਦੋਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦਾ, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕੁਕਰਮ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਹੋ।” ਉੱਥੇ ਖੜਾ ਨਰ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਫਿਰ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਹਾਰ (ਦਰਬਾਰੀ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ) ਨੂੰ ਪੁੱਛਣ ਲੱਗਾ।

Word by Word

• भवन्तौ: you two (honorific)
• भवन्तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual); आदरार्थ-प्रयोगः (honorific pronoun-like)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• इच्छति: wishes
• इच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुर्नयकारिणौ: two who act with bad policy/evil conduct
• दुर्नयकारिणौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्नय + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; components: दुर्नय (bad conduct) + कारिन् (doer))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘भवन्तौ’)

• तत्रस्थः: standing there
• तत्रस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्र + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; components: तत्र (there) + स्थ (standing))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘नरः’)

• पृष्टवान्: asked
• पृष्टवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (Perfect participle, active sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (adverb: again/more)

• प्रतीहारम्: the doorkeeper/chamberlain
• प्रतीहारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नरः: Nara (the man)
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक (reflexive/emphatic: oneself)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara) (narrating)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the gate, a chamberlain conveys the king’s refusal; Nara stands composed, questioning again, while Nārāyaṇa remains serene; guards hold position, tension contained.

Characters & Entities

• Nara
• Pratīhāra (chamberlain)
• Yudhiṣṭhira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

False labeling and denial of righteous company reflects inner confusion; inquiry and correction become necessary steps toward dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The moral narrative is delivered within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it depicts dialogue and the social consequence of moral judgment.