Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

मुख्येषु च सदा काले देवतायतनेषु च । दद्यात्स बहुलान्दीपान्वर्तिभिश्च समुज्ज्वलान्

Transliteration

mukhyeṣu ca sadā kāle devatāyataneṣu ca | dadyātsa bahulāndīpānvartibhiśca samujjvalān

Translation

และในกาลสำคัญทั้งหลาย ณ เทวาลัยของเหล่าเทพ เขามอบประทีปเป็นอันมาก—สว่างไสวด้วยไส้ตะเกียงที่ลุกโชติช่วง

Word by Word

• मुख्येषु: in the principal (places)
• मुख्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• काले: at (the) time
• काले: Adhikarana (Location/Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्

• देवतायतनेषु: in temples/shrines of deities
• देवतायतनेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता-आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवतायाः आयतनम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• बहुलान्: many
• बहुलान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (दीपान् इति विशेष्य)

• दीपान्: lamps
• दीपान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्

• वर्तिभिः: with wicks
• वर्तिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• समुज्ज्वलान्: brightly shining
• समुज्ज्वलान्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (दीपान् इति विशेष्य)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At auspicious hours, the king donates rows of bright oil lamps with thick wicks in major temples; the sanctuaries blaze, pushing back darkness.

Characters & Entities

• Devatā (temple deities)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Acts like dīpa-dāna in sacred spaces accumulate puṇya and symbolically replace inner darkness with devotional clarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s network of devatāyatana-s (temples) where offerings like lamps are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering many lamps (dīpa-dāna) with proper wicks at significant times in temples.