Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

शापदोषात्ततस्तस्मात्ताः स्त्रियो गां गते हरौ । हृताः पांचनदैश्चौरैरर्जुनस्य प्रपश्यतः

Transliteration

śāpadoṣāttatastasmāttāḥ striyo gāṃ gate harau | hṛtāḥ pāṃcanadaiścaurairarjunasya prapaśyataḥ

Translation

Vì vậy, do vết nhơ của lời nguyền ấy, khi Hari (Đấng Viṣṇu) đã lên cõi trời, những người phụ nữ ấy bị bọn trộm vùng Pañcanada bắt đi, ngay trước mắt Arjuna.

Word by Word

• शापदोषात्: from the fault of the curse
• शापदोषात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शापस्य दोषः)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sequence marker (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (thereupon)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; हेत्वर्थ

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• गाम्: to the earth / to the cow (here: earth)
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गते: when (he) had gone
• गते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• हरौ: when Hari (was gone)
• हरौ: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी सह

• हृताः: were carried off
• हृताः: Karta (Logical subject in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृ (धातु) → हृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• पांचनदैः: by the Pañcanada people
• पांचनदैः: Karana/Agent (Instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चनद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृ (agent in passive)

• चौरैः: by thieves
• चौरैः: Karana/Agent (Instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्तृ (agent in passive)

• अर्जुनस्य: of Arjuna
• अर्जुनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• प्रपश्यतः: while (he) was watching
• प्रपश्यतः: Sambandha (Genitive absolute sense/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + पश्य् (धातु) → प्रपश्यत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Purāṇic māhātmya narration style in Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (narrative locus) / Pañcanada-deśa (event locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After Hari’s ascent, a caravan of Yādava women is attacked by Pañcanada thieves; Arjuna stands powerless, bow lowered, witnessing the abduction—an image of faded heroism.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Kṛṣṇa)
• Arjuna
• Pañcanada thieves

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even heroic power can fail when the momentum of a curse ripens; Dharma emphasizes humility before unseen karmic forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to Prabhāsa Kṣetra’s māhātmya, presenting Prabhāsa as the sacred stage where great destinies unfold and purification is sought.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated in this verse; it sets up the later turn toward tapas and worship at Prabhāsa.