Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

नारोढव्यं रथे देवि शूद्रेण शुभमिच्छता । नाधर्मेण विशेषेण मुक्त्वैकं भोजकं प्रिये

Transliteration

nāroḍhavyaṃ rathe devi śūdreṇa śubhamicchatā | nādharmeṇa viśeṣeṇa muktvaikaṃ bhojakaṃ priye

Translation

ఓ దేవీ, శుభాన్ని కోరుకునే శూద్రుడు రథంపై ఎక్కకూడదు. అలాగే అధర్మమార్గంలో ఏ కార్యమూ చేయకూడదు—ప్రియే, ఈ కర్మకు నియమితుడైన ఒక్క భోజక సేవకుడు మాత్రమే అపవాదం.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• आरोढव्यम्: should be mounted
• आरोढव्यम्: Kriyā (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु; √रुह्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘to be mounted/should be mounted’

• रथे: on the chariot
• रथे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• देवि: O goddess/dear lady
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन — Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• शूद्रेण: by a Śūdra
• शूद्रेण: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शुभम्: good fortune; auspiciousness
• शुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छता: wishing (for)
• इच्छता: Karta (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु; √इष्/इच्छ्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; ‘wishing/desiring’ (agreeing with शूद्रेण)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• अधर्मेण: by unrighteous means
• अधर्मेण: Karaṇa (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial instrumental) — ‘especially/in particular’

• मुक्त्वा: excepting; leaving aside
• मुक्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Exception)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु; √मुच्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having left/excepting

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण (agreeing with भोजकम्)

• भोजकम्: a Bhojaka (person of Bhoja community)
• भोजकम्: Karma (Object of ‘excepting’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रिये: O beloved
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन — Feminine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator addressing Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual supervisor instructs attendants beside the chariot; a marked, single bhojaka stands ready at the left; others keep respectful distance; the goddess is addressed in discourse (didactic tone).

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Brahmā
• Bhojaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites should be performed within dharma and with proper ritual role-bound conduct to preserve auspicious merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), praised in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A rule regarding who may mount the ritual chariot, with a stated exception for the Bhojaka attendant.