Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षा मध्यक्षामाः शुचिस्मिताः । विवेकिनो नरास्तत्र शास्त्रव्रतसमन्विताः

Transliteration

padmapatraviśālākṣā madhyakṣāmāḥ śucismitāḥ | vivekino narāstatra śāstravratasamanvitāḥ

Translation

وہاں صاحبِ تمیز مرد رہتے تھے—کنول کے پتّے جیسے کشادہ چشم، کمر سے باریک، پاکیزہ تبسم والے—اور شاستروں کے علم اور مقررہ ورتوں سے آراستہ تھے۔

Word by Word

• padma-patra-viśāla-akṣāḥ: having large lotus-petal-like eyes
• padma-patra-viśāla-akṣāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + viśāla (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पद्मपत्रवत् विशालानि अक्षीणि येषाम्)

• madhya-kṣāmāḥ: slender/trim in the middle
• madhya-kṣāmāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (मध्येन क्शामाः/मध्यमकायाः)

• śuci-smitāḥ: with pure smiles
• śuci-smitāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक) + smita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुचि स्मितं येषाम्)

• vivekinaḥ: discerning, wise
• vivekinaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivekin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• narāḥ: men, people
• narāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• śāstra-vrata-samanvitāḥ: endowed with scriptures and vows
• śāstra-vrata-samanvitāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (शास्त्रव्रतेन समन्विताः = endowed with scriptures and vows)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (dhārmic habitation zone)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A refined, dhārmic community on the mountain: men with calm faces and pure smiles, holding manuscripts or prayer beads, near lotus ponds and hermitages; beauty portrayed as sattvic, not sensual.

Characters & Entities

• Śāstra
• Vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred place is known not only by scenery but by its dharmic residents—people grounded in śāstra and vrata.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mount Arbuda, portrayed as a habitat of disciplined and discerning practitioners.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata observance is referenced generally, without naming a specific vow.