Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

वेनः प्रहस्य दुर्बुद्धिरिदं वचनकोविदः । स्रष्टा धर्मस्य कश्चान्यः श्रोतव्यं कस्य वा मया

Transliteration

venaḥ prahasya durbuddhiridaṃ vacanakovidaḥ | sraṣṭā dharmasya kaścānyaḥ śrotavyaṃ kasya vā mayā

Translation

เวนะ ผู้มีปัญญาทรามแต่ชำนาญวาจา หัวเราะแล้วกล่าวว่า: “นอกจากเราแล้ว ใครเล่าจะเป็นผู้สร้างธรรมะ? และเราควรฟังผู้ใด?”

Word by Word

• वेनः: Vena (the king)
• वेनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund), ‘having laughed’

• दुर्बुद्धिः: the evil-minded one
• दुर्बुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—उपपद-तत्पुरुष (दुष्टा बुद्धिः यस्य)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• वचन-कोविदः: skilled in speech
• वचन-कोविदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक) + कोविद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वचने कोविदः)

• स्रष्टा: creator
• स्रष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक-नाम (Agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• कश्चित्: someone/anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• अन्यः: other
• अन्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• श्रोतव्यम्: to be listened to
• श्रोतव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/obligation), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कस्य: of whom
• कस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥/Agent-instrument (by me)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

King Vena

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-led ṛṣis (frame typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vena laughs—sharp, contemptuous—declaring himself the maker of dharma and refusing to listen; rishis stand unwavering, their tapas-tejas contrasting his glittering pride.

Characters & Entities

• Vena
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Clever speech without humility becomes a tool of adharma; rejecting wise counsel leads to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is embedded in Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, but this verse highlights character and governance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns authority over dharma and refusal to heed instruction.