Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अन्योऽन्यं स्पर्धया सर्वे हेलयाऽर्बुदमागताः । अहं पूर्वमहं पूर्वं प्रपश्याम्यचलेश्वरम्

Transliteration

anyo'nyaṃ spardhayā sarve helayā'rbudamāgatāḥ | ahaṃ pūrvamahaṃ pūrvaṃ prapaśyāmyacaleśvaram

Translation

ด้วยความแข่งขันกันเอง ทุกท่านมาถึงอรพุทด้วยความรีบร้อนและประมาท กล่าวกันว่า “ข้าก่อน! ข้าก่อน!” ด้วยความปรารถนาจะได้เฝ้าอจเลศวร

Word by Word

• अन्यः: one (another)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘one (person)’

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परस्पर-प्रयोगे

• स्पर्धया: out of rivalry
• स्पर्धया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हेलया: in contempt/carelessly
• हेलया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/भाव), एकवचन

• अर्बुदम्: Arbuda (place/mountain)
• अर्बुदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; गमनस्य लक्ष्यस्थानम्

• आगताः: came
• आगताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सर्वे’ इत्यस्य विधेय

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति-बलार्थे)

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रपश्यामि: I see (shall see)
• प्रपश्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पश्य्/दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अचलेश्वरम्: Acaleśvara (Lord of the mountain)
• अचलेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Acaleśvara

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (mahīpati/nṛpaśreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A multitude of sages rush toward the mountain shrine, jostling and proclaiming ‘I first!’ to behold Acaleśvara.

Characters & Entities

• Sages (Munis)
• Arbuda
• Acaleśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even seekers can fall into ego-driven rivalry; tīrtha narratives warn that sacred goals require humility, not competition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arbuda (mountain region) and the deity Acaleśvara, connected to the Koṭīśvara-centered circuit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana-intent is expressed (to behold Acaleśvara), though the verse primarily critiques the manner—rivalry and levity.