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

وہ دیوانے کی طرح بڑبڑاتا ہے، نشے میں چور کی طرح زمین پر گر پڑتا ہے؛ غصّے والے کی طرح دوسروں پر جھپٹتا ہے، اور مردہ سا ہو کر گھسیٹا جاتا ہے۔

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.