Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 132

Devanagari script

तत्रोक्तं मनुना पुत्र वेदांतैर्भाष्यकारिभिः । तत्प्रमाणं प्रकर्तव्यं प्रेतत्वं भवतोऽन्यथा

Transliteration

tatroktaṃ manunā putra vedāṃtairbhāṣyakāribhiḥ | tatpramāṇaṃ prakartavyaṃ pretatvaṃ bhavato'nyathā

Translation

吾子，当处由摩奴所说，并为吠檀多诸权威与大注疏师所阐明者，当奉为准则而实行；否则，“饿鬼/游魂”之态（preta）将临于汝身。

Word by Word

• tatra: there/in that regard
• tatra: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गबोधक अव्यय (adverb: there/in that matter)

• uktam: is stated
• uktam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• manunā: by Manu
• manunā: Karana (Agent in passive/instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• putra: O son
• putra: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vedāntaiḥ: by the Vedāntas (Vedānta texts)
• vedāntaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/authority/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bhāṣyakāribhiḥ: by the commentators (makers of bhāṣyas)
• bhāṣyakāribhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/authority/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāṣya (प्रातिपदिक) + kārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tatpramāṇam: that as the authority/standard
• tatpramāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• prakartavyam: should be done/observed
• prakartavyam: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (Gerundive/तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• pretatvam: state of being a preta (departed spirit)
• pretatvam: Karta (Result/subject in nominal clause/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + -tva (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhavataḥ: of you
• bhavataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारबोधक अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

Speaker

An elder instructor (addressing ‘putra’), within the Dvārakā-māhātmya narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: ‘putra’ (disciple/son)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An elder guru addresses a ‘son’ (disciple), pointing to Manu-smṛti and Vedānta commentaries, with a subtle depiction of a preta-shadow in the background as a cautionary motif.

Characters & Entities

• Manu
• Vedānta
• Bhāṣyakāra (commentators)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

One should live by established śāstric authority; neglect of dharma is said to lead to suffering even after death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Prabhāsa–Dvārakā sacred geography, where pilgrimage and right observance are emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general prescription: accept Manu/Vedānta guidance as pramāṇa and act accordingly (specific vows are detailed in nearby verses).