Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

धिङ्ममार्थं तथा मद्यं महिमानमकीर्तिदम् । येना विष्टेन सुमहन्मया पापमिदं कृतम्

Transliteration

dhiṅmamārthaṃ tathā madyaṃ mahimānamakīrtidam | yenā viṣṭena sumahanmayā pāpamidaṃ kṛtam

Translation

‘افسوس میرے غرور پر، اور شراب پر بھی جو سچی عظمت چھین کر صرف رسوائی لاتی ہے۔ اسی گندی مستی کے سبب میں نے یہ نہایت بڑا پاپ کر ڈالا۔’

Word by Word

• धिङ्: shame! fie!
• धिङ्: Sambandha (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिङ् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग (pronoun), षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: wealth, gain, purpose
• अर्थम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘so/likewise’)

• मद्यम्: liquor, intoxicant
• मद्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महिमानम्: greatness, glory
• महिमानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अकीर्तिदम्: giving ill-fame; disgrace-causing
• अकीर्तिदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकीर्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) ‘to give’ → द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महिमानम्)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विष्टेन: by excrement; by filth
• विष्टेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पापम्)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग (pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पापम्: sin, evil deed
• पापम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here with passive verb as object/result

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• कृतम्: done, committed
• कृतम्: Kriyā (Predicative action/result)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense), भूतकालिक-कर्तरि/कर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate with पापम्

Speaker

Balarāma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience / pilgrims (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Balarāma condemns pride and liquor; he gestures as if casting away a cup, his posture firming into resolve for expiation.

Characters & Entities

• Balarāma
• Madya (liquor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Intoxication and ego corrode discernment and fame; dharma demands sobriety, self-control, and accountability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the fallen seeker turns toward cleansing and restoration of dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it provides the ethical basis for undertaking prāyaścitta.