Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अत्र गाथा पुरा गीता विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । स्नेहार्द्रेण च चित्तेन धर्मपुत्रं प्रति प्रिये

Transliteration

atra gāthā purā gītā viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | snehārdreṇa ca cittena dharmaputraṃ prati priye

Translation

هنا أنشودةٌ قديمةٌ أنشدها ڤِشنو—ڤِشنو الجبّار، ڤِشنو أصلُ كلّ منشأ—قالها بقلبٍ رقيقٍ مبلّلٍ بالمودّة، موجّهةً إلى ابن الدharma (Dharmaputra)، يا حبيبة.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक/देशवाचक अव्यय) — indeclinable adverb of place

• गाथा: a verse/ballad
• गाथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) — indeclinable adverb of time

• गीता: was sung/recited
• गीता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — past passive participle ‘sung/recited’ agreeing with गाथा

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana / Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रभविष्णुना: by the mighty/lordly Viṣṇu
• प्रभविष्णुना: Karana / Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभ + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘प्रभुः विष्णुः’ (the lordly Viṣṇu)

• स्नेहार्द्रेण: with (a mind) softened by affection
• स्नेहार्द्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेह + आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘स्नेहेन आर्द्रः’ (moistened with affection)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — conjunction

• चित्तेन: with the mind
• चित्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• धर्मपुत्रम्: Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘धर्मस्य पुत्रः’ (son of Dharma)

• प्रति: towards/to
• प्रति: Sampradana/Direction (प्रति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय (उपपद/पूर्वसर्गसदृश; द्वितीयासह) — preposition ‘towards/with regard to’

• प्रिये: O dear one
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular (address)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) continuing the narration (introducing a quotation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prācī Sarasvatī (as destination implied by the cited gāthā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A narrator at Prabhāsa introduces an ancient gāthā: Viṣṇu, radiant and compassionate, addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with softened heart; the sacred landscape of Sarasvatī/Prabhāsa appears as the implied destination.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic Māhātmyas often preserve revered teachings by great deities, linking tīrtha-glory to Dharma and lived devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is Prācī Sarasvatī in Prabhāsa Kṣetra; the next verse begins the quoted instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces a traditional saying (gāthā).