Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

एतच्छ्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं मंत्रिभिः सहितो नृपः । आकुलं तु जगद्दृष्ट्वा पौरजानपदादिकम्

Transliteration

etacchrutvā munervākyaṃ maṃtribhiḥ sahito nṛpaḥ | ākulaṃ tu jagaddṛṣṭvā paurajānapadādikam

Translation

听闻牟尼之言，国王与群臣同在，见世间动荡不安：城中百姓、乡野之民以及其余众类皆陷纷扰。

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having heard’

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: statement/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मंत्रिभिः: with ministers
• मंत्रिभिः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सहितः: accompanied
• सहितः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक; √सह/सह्-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘accompanied (by)’

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आकुलम्: disturbed/agitated
• आकुलम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having seen’

• पौरजानपदादिकम्: townspeople, countryfolk, and others
• पौरजानपदादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर-जानपद-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; पौर + जानपद + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (पौराश्च जानपदाश्च) + ‘आदि’ (etc.)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried king with ministers surveys a restless crowd—townsfolk and villagers—gathered in agitation near a sacred landscape, signaling a crisis that demands dharmic counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha (implied)
• Muni (sage)
• Ministers
• Subjects (paura-jānapada)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True rulership is compassionate stewardship—leaders must respond to looming suffering with counsel, dharma, and protective action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is embedded in Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, where the eventual remedy is aligned with sacred worship connected to Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; it depicts the king’s recognition of social distress that prompts subsequent devotional and remedial measures.