Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

उन्मत्तवत्प्रलपते क्षितौ पतति मत्तवत् । क्रुद्धवद्धावति परान्मृतवत्कृष्यते हि सः

Transliteration

unmattavatpralapate kṣitau patati mattavat | kruddhavaddhāvati parānmṛtavatkṛṣyate hi saḥ

Translation

เขาพูดเพ้อเหมือนคนบ้า ล้มลงกับพื้นเหมือนคนเมา; พุ่งเข้าหาผู้อื่นดุจคนโกรธ และถูกลากไปมาราวกับไร้ชีวิต

Word by Word

• unmatta-vat: like a madman
• unmatta-vat: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: unmatta (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; उपमानार्थक ("like a madman")

• pralapate: prattles/raves
• pralapate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lap (धातु) + pra (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• kṣitau: on the ground
• kṣitau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• patati: falls
• patati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• matta-vat: like a drunk man
• matta-vat: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: matta (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; उपमानार्थक ("like an intoxicated person")

• kruddha-vat: like an angry person
• kruddha-vat: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kruddha (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; उपमानार्थक ("like an angry man")

• dhāvati: runs
• dhāvati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhāv (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• parān: others
• parān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• mṛta-vat: like a dead man
• mṛta-vat: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; उपमानार्थक ("like a dead person")

• kṛṣyate: is dragged/pulled
• kṛṣyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Pārvatī / Devī (continuing her description/inquiry context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single afflicted person (or several) exhibits possession-like symptoms: incoherent speech, falling as if drunk, charging in anger, then being dragged like a corpse—public alarm and pity around him.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūtamātṛkā (implied context)
• affected person (lokaḥ/saḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays the destabilizing force of afflictions (bhūta/pretic influence) and sets up the need for proper guidance and worship within dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Prabhāsakṣetra context; this verse describes phenomena associated with Bhūtamātṛkā’s sphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive, preparing for an explanation of the correct path and worship.