Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

या गतिर्द्धर्मयुक्तानामगतिः पापकर्मिणाम् । चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य प्रभवश्चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य रक्षिता

Transliteration

yā gatirddharmayuktānāmagatiḥ pāpakarmiṇām | cāturvarṇyasya prabhavaścāturvarṇyasya rakṣitā

Translation

Ngài là nơi nương tựa chân thật và con đường rốt ráo của người sống theo Dharma, còn kẻ tạo nghiệp ác thì không có chỗ nương; Ngài là nguồn gốc của chế độ bốn giai tầng và là Đấng hộ trì nó—làm sao có thể đo lường Ngài bằng địa điểm?

Word by Word

• yā: which (she/that)
• yā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-विशेषण (relative pronoun used adjectivally)

• gatiḥ: course; destiny; refuge
• gatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• dharma-yuktānām: of those devoted to dharma
• dharma-yuktānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj युज्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (धर्मे युक्ताः)

• agatiḥ: no refuge; helplessness
• agatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक (negated)

• pāpa-karmiṇām: of evil-doers
• pāpa-karmiṇām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पापं कर्म येषाम्)

• cāturvarṇyasya: of the fourfold social order
• cāturvarṇyasya: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturvarṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (चत्वारः वर्णाः यस्य)

• prabhavaḥ: origin; source
• prabhavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• cāturvarṇyasya: of the fourfold social order
• cāturvarṇyasya: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturvarṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष

• rakṣitā: protector
• rakṣitā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣitṛ (प्रातिपदिक; agent noun from √rakṣ रक्ष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (protector)

Speaker

A questioner within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya dialogue (listener addressing the narrator/teacher)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages / questioner

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted processions at Prabhāsa: dharma-yuktas with calm faces approaching the shrine and waters; pāpa-karmīs shown restless and turned away by their own turmoil. Above, the Lord as protector radiates sheltering light over the righteous.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Cāturvarṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma leads to true refuge; sin leads to spiritual loss—yet the Lord remains the ultimate ground of social and moral order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra remains the narrative setting, with the Lord’s greatness stated in universal terms.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse stresses ethical alignment with Dharma rather than a particular vrata or dāna.