Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा मत्प्रिया नित्यं ब्राह्मणा मामकी तनुः । यस्तानर्चयते भक्त्या स मामर्चयते सदा

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā matpriyā nityaṃ brāhmaṇā māmakī tanuḥ | yastānarcayate bhaktyā sa māmarcayate sadā

Translation

พราหมณ์ทั้งหลายเป็นที่รักของเราตลอดกาล; พราหมณ์ทั้งหลายคือกายของเราเอง ผู้ใดบูชาท่านด้วยภักติ ผู้นั้นบูชาเราอยู่เสมอ

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-समासपूर्वपद (genitive sense ‘my’), अव्ययवत् समासे

• प्रियाः: dear
• प्रियाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• ब्राह्मणाः: brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta/Predicate nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मामकी: mine, belonging to me
• मामकी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मामकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मम’ इत्यर्थे स्वत्ववाचक-विशेषण

• तनुः: body, embodiment
• तनुः: Predicate nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-यत् (relative)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अर्चयते: worships
• अर्चयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अर्चयते: worships
• अर्चयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The deity proclaims: Brāhmaṇas are dear and are his very body; a devotee offers respectful worship to Brāhmaṇas, which is shown as simultaneously reaching the deity.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes tangible through reverent service: honoring Brāhmaṇas is equated with worship of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where dharma is taught as direct worship through honoring resident Brāhmaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (honoring/worship) of Brāhmaṇas with bhakti is prescribed as equivalent to worship of Śiva.