Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

इदं लोकहितार्थाय संक्षिप्तं द्वापरे द्विजाः

Transliteration

idaṃ lokahitārthāya saṃkṣiptaṃ dvāpare dvijāḥ

Translation

اے دو بار جنم لینے والو! یہ کلام دنیا کی بھلائی کے لیے دوآپَر یُگ میں مختصر کیا گیا تھا۔

Word by Word

• इदम्: this (account/text)
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोक-हित-अर्थाय: for the purpose of the welfare of the world
• लोक-हित-अर्थाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• संक्षिप्तम्: abridged/condensed
• संक्षिप्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्√क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) ‘इदम्’

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned narrator addresses a seated group of brāhmaṇas, emphasizing that the teaching was condensed in Dvāpara for the world’s welfare; manuscripts and a calm teaching hall evoke transmission across ages.

Characters & Entities

• Dvāpara-yuga
• dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scripture adapts its presentation for accessibility; condensation serves compassion and public welfare (lokahita).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named in the verse; it functions as a framing statement within Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it explains the purpose and time-context of an abridged transmission.