Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

ग्रासमात्रसमानाभिर्गुटिकाभिरथाष्टभिः । कन्दमूलफलोत्थाभिर्गुटिकास्ते द्विजातयः

Transliteration

grāsamātrasamānābhirguṭikābhirathāṣṭabhiḥ | kandamūlaphalotthābhirguṭikāste dvijātayaḥ

Translation

Những người “hai lần sinh” sống bằng tám viên nhỏ, mỗi viên bằng một miếng ăn, làm từ rễ, củ và trái—được gọi là các hành giả Guṭikā.

Word by Word

• grāsa-mātra-samānābhiḥ: with (pellets) equal to a mouthful in measure
• grāsa-mātra-samānābhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: grāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक) + samāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—guṭikābhiḥ इति विशेष्यस्य

• guṭikābhiḥ: with pellets/boluses
• guṭikābhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• atha: and/then
• atha: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/and)

• aṣṭabhiḥ: with eight
• aṣṭabhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭan (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्—guṭikābhiḥ इत्यस्य

• kanda-mūla-phala-utthābhiḥ: with (pellets) made from tubers, roots, and fruits
• kanda-mūla-phala-utthābhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanda (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + uttha (कृदन्त; √sthā/ut+√sthā? ‘utthā’ as adjectival stem meaning ‘arisen from’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—guṭikābhiḥ इति विशेष्यस्य

• guṭikāḥ: pellets/boluses
• guṭikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• te: those
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• dvijātayaḥ: the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• dvijātayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvijāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of twice-born sādhakas in Prabhāsa prepare small pellets from roots and fruits, counting eight portions with care; they eat quietly, seated on mats, with a sense of measured discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• dvijāti
• Guṭikā-sādhaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regulated, minimal, and sāttvic sustenance is upheld as a means to stabilize mind and dharma in a sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, as a residence of vow-observers and disciplined dvijas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A measured diet: eight mouthful-sized pellets made from kandas (tubers), mūlas (roots), and fruits.