Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

पुरुषोत्तमनामाढ्यं क्षेत्रं च धनुषां शतम् । तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे स चापश्यत्पंच प्रेतान्सुदारुणान्

Transliteration

puruṣottamanāmāḍhyaṃ kṣetraṃ ca dhanuṣāṃ śatam | tasminkṣetre sa cāpaśyatpaṃca pretānsudāruṇān

Translation

ถิ่นนั้นเลื่องชื่อว่า ‘ปุรุโษตตมะ’ กว้างยาวถึงร้อยคันธนู; และในเขตนั้นเขาได้เห็นเปรตห้าตนที่น่าสะพรึงกลัวยิ่งนัก

Word by Word

• पुरुषोत्तमनाम: of the name ‘Puruṣottama’
• पुरुषोत्तमनाम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषोत्तम + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; (पुरुषोत्तमस्य नाम)

• आढ्यम्: rich, endowed
• आढ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• क्षेत्रम्: sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• धनुषाम्: of bows (as a measure)
• धनुषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive measure/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रे: in the field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (अव्यय/संख्या)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक (numeral indeclinable)

• प्रेतान्: ghosts, departed spirits
• प्रेतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• सुदारुणान्: very dreadful
• सुदारुणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक); उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puruṣottama-kṣetra (sub-region) connected to Preta-tīrtha/Gātra-vimocana episode

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śrī Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a defined sacred field called Puruṣottama, Gautama beholds five terrifying pretas—gaunt forms, hollow eyes—yet the scene is framed as a prelude to their release, with a sanctified aura over the ground.

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣottama-kṣetra
• Pañca Pretāḥ (five pretas)
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even within renowned sacred regions, beings in suffering states may appear—highlighting the need for tīrtha-grace and liberation themes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puruṣottama-named kṣetra associated with the narrative background for Preta-tīrtha in Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse introduces the sighting that prompts the ensuing explanation.