Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 133

Devanagari script

एतै प्रकारैः प्रेतत्वं प्राणिनां जायते भुवि । निरीक्ष्य धर्मशास्त्राणि कार्य्यं विहितमात्मनः

Transliteration

etai prakāraiḥ pretatvaṃ prāṇināṃ jāyate bhuvi | nirīkṣya dharmaśāstrāṇi kāryyaṃ vihitamātmanaḥ

Translation

Bằng những cách ấy, tình trạng làm preta phát sinh nơi các loài hữu tình trên cõi đất. Vì vậy, sau khi xét kỹ các Dharma-śāstra, người ta nên thực hành điều được chế định để mưu cầu lợi ích cho chính mình.

Word by Word

• etaiḥ: by these
• etaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• prakāraiḥ: ways/methods
• prakāraiḥ: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pretatvam: state of being a preta
• pretatvam: Karta (Subject/result/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + -tva (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• prāṇinām: of living beings
• prāṇinām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• jāyate: arises/is born
• jāyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhuvi: on earth/in the world
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• nirīkṣya: having examined
• nirīkṣya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• dharmaśāstrāṇi: dharma-śāstras (law/duty texts)
• dharmaśāstrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• kāryyam: what should be done; duty
• kāryyam: Karma (That which is to be done/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• vihitam: prescribed/ordained
• vihitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying kāryyam)

• ātmanaḥ: for oneself/of oneself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

An elder instructor within the Dvārakā-māhātmya narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker sits with dharmaśāstra texts open, reflecting, while a ritual space is prepared—kuśa laid out, water pot ready—signifying resolve to do the enjoined act.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaśāstra
• Preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural dharma is presented as practical protection against harmful post-death states.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Prabhāsa–Dvārakā pilgrimage context of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Study/consult Dharmaśāstra and follow the prescribed duties and rites (vihita-karman).