Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

यथायथा न गृह्णाति ब्राह्मणोऽसत्प्रतिग्रहम् । तथातथाऽनिशं चास्य ब्रह्मतेजस्तु वर्धते

Transliteration

yathāyathā na gṛhṇāti brāhmaṇo'satpratigraham | tathātathā'niśaṃ cāsya brahmatejastu vardhate

Translation

ஒரு பிராமணன் எவ்வளவு எவ்வளவாக அநியாயமான/அசத் பிரதிக்ரஹத்தை (தகாத தானத்தை) ஏற்க மறுக்கிறானோ, அவ்வளவு அவ்வளவாக அவனுடைய பிரஹ்மதேஜஸ்—ஆன்மீக ஒளி—இடையறாது பெருகுகிறது.

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/यथाक्रम (as/just as)

• यथा: as (repeated)
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति द्वारा क्रमवृद्ध्यर्थ (repetition for emphasis: ‘more and more’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• गृह्णाति: accepts
• गृह्णाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: ग्रह् (to take/accept)

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• असत्प्रतिग्रहम्: unrighteous acceptance (of gifts)
• असत्प्रतिग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत् + प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास: असतः प्रतिग्रहः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) / ‘acceptance of improper gifts’

• तथा: so
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूप (so/accordingly)

• तथा: so (repeated)
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति द्वारा क्रमवृद्ध्यर्थ (repetition for emphasis)

• अनिशम्: constantly
• अनिशम्: Adhikarana (Temporal adverb/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time): ‘constantly’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• अस्य: of him/of this (Brahmin)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मतेजः: spiritual radiance (of Brahman)
• ब्रह्मतेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समास: ब्रह्मणः तेजः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक

• वर्धते: increases
• वर्धते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: वृध् (to increase)

Speaker

Unspecified in this snippet (didactic voice within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa gently declines a lavish but tainted gift; a visible aura (tejas) brightens around him, while the giver’s shadow of impurity recedes. The sea-temple horizon suggests Prabhāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity in livelihood and gifts protects and amplifies brahmic radiance (brahma-tejas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the setting; the verse supports its Māhātmya by teaching dharmic standards for pilgrims and householders.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies a rule of dana/acceptance: a brāhmaṇa should not accept ‘asat’ (unrighteous) gifts.