Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

एक एव मुने दोषः स्वर्लोके प्रतिभाति मे । स एव पतनाख्यस्तु स्वर्गिणां च भयावहः

Transliteration

eka eva mune doṣaḥ svarloke pratibhāti me | sa eva patanākhyastu svargiṇāṃ ca bhayāvahaḥ

Translation

ดูก่อนมุนี สำหรับเรานั้น ในสวรรค์มีโทษเพียงประการเดียวที่ปรากฏ คือสิ่งที่เรียกว่า “การตกจากสวรรค์”; และนั่นน่าหวาดหวั่นยิ่งสำหรับผู้พำนักในสวรรค์

Word by Word

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दोषस्य)

• एव: only
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (only)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दोषः: fault
• दोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वर्लोके: in heaven-world
• स्वर्लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्-लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वरः लोकः = स्वर्गलोकः)

• प्रतिभाति: appears/seems
• प्रतिभाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + भा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Experiencer/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Dative), एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी-अर्थे ‘मम/मह्यम्’

• सः: that (he/it)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• पतनाख्यः: called ‘fall’
• पतनाख्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतन-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पतनम् आख्या यस्य/पतन-नामकः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• स्वर्गिणाम्: of the dwellers in heaven
• स्वर्गिणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• भयावहः: fearful/bringing fear
• भयावहः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय-आवह (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √वह् with ā-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः ‘भयं आवहति’ (fear-bringing)

Speaker

A heavenly messenger (dūta) addressing Mudgala (contextual deduction from v.25)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni / sage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A svarga panorama where joyous celestial life is subtly undercut by a dark, distant chasm labeled 'patana'; svargins glance anxiously while a sage calmly explains the single defect.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Patana (fall from heaven)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even heavenly enjoyment is insecure; attachment to Svarga carries the fear of eventual downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it occurs within the Arbuda (Mount Abu) section of the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse is doctrinal, describing the defect of Svarga.