Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तथा भूमितले विप्रान्यज्वनोऽथ तपस्विनः । निजघान स दुष्टात्मा ये चान्ये धर्मचारिणः

Transliteration

tathā bhūmitale viprānyajvano'tha tapasvinaḥ | nijaghāna sa duṣṭātmā ye cānye dharmacāriṇaḥ

Translation

اسی طرح زمین پر اُس بدروح نے برہمنوں، یَجْن کرنے والوں اور تپسویوں کو—اور دیگر دھرم کے پیروکاروں کو بھی—قتل کر ڈالا۔

Word by Word

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Adhikarana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/also')

• भूमितले: on the earth's surface
• भूमितले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमितल = भूमि + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular: 'on the surface of the earth')

• विप्रान्: brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (accusative plural)

• यज्वनः: sacrificers (performers of yajña)
• यज्वनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (accusative plural; Vedic/epic form for यजमानान्/यज्वान्)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'then/and')

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (accusative plural)

• निजघान: he killed, struck down
• निजघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'he slew/struck down'

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दुष्टात्मा: the wicked-souled one
• दुष्टात्मा: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्टात्मन् = दुष्ट + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः (wicked-souled)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Relative subject/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (relative pronoun: 'who')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (nominative plural: 'others')

• धर्मचारिणः: practitioners of dharma
• धर्मचारिणः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मचारिन् = धर्म + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'those who practice dharma'

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wicked figure assaults brāhmaṇas, yajamānas, and tapasvins on the earth; broken sacrificial implements, fallen kuśa grass, and scattered manuscripts evoke the shattering of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Ruru
• vipra
• yajvan
• tapasvin
• dharma-cārin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma is defined not only by power but by hostility toward yajña, tapas, and dharma; such persecution calls forth divine protection and restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This continues the backstory leading to the Devī Kumārikā sacred site within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes the asura’s oppression of dharma practitioners.