Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

या गतिर्द्धर्मयुक्तानामगतिः पापकर्मिणाम् । चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य प्रभवश्चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य रक्षिता

Transliteration

yā gatirddharmayuktānāmagatiḥ pāpakarmiṇām | cāturvarṇyasya prabhavaścāturvarṇyasya rakṣitā

Translation

他是持守达摩者真实的归依与究竟归趣；而作恶者则于他前无所依归；他是四姓制度（cāturvarṇya）之源与护持者——如此之主，岂可用地点来衡量？

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.