Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

मुक्त्वैकां गुरुशुश्रूषां नान्यत्किंचिदसौ द्विजः । अकरोच्छोभनं कर्म दिवाप्रभृति नित्यशः

Transliteration

muktvaikāṃ guruśuśrūṣāṃ nānyatkiṃcidasau dvijaḥ | akarocchobhanaṃ karma divāprabhṛti nityaśaḥ

Translation

Fora um único ato de serviço ao seu mestre, aquele brāhmaṇa nada mais fez de meritório. Desde o romper da aurora, dia após dia, entregava-se por hábito a condutas impróprias.

Word by Word

• मुक्त्वा: having abandoned
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• एकाम्: one (only)
• एकाम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गुरुशुश्रूषाम्: service to the teacher
• गुरुशुश्रूषाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुरोः शुश्रूषा)

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किंचित्: something/anything
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• असौ: he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्विजः: the brāhmaṇa
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अकरोत्: did
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शोभनम्: good/auspicious
• शोभनम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कर्म: deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (by day/during daytime)

• प्रभृति: from (then) onward
• प्रभृति: Apadana (Starting point)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (postposition/adverb) = 'from, starting with'

• नित्यशः: constantly
• नित्यशः: Prakara (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner/frequency)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone brāhmaṇa at daybreak, turning away from sacred duties; the light of dawn contrasts with his shadowed, improper acts—an ethical chiaroscuro.

Characters & Entities

• guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglect of dharma—even with a token of good conduct—leads to habitual wrongdoing; sustained virtue is emphasized.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Prabhāsakṣetra narrative frame; the moral biography supports the later sanctity of Śūlasthāna through Vālmīki’s transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights guru-sevā as a key dharmic value and contrasts it with daily misconduct.