Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

पक्षिणो मधुरारावाश्चकोरशिखिचातकाः । कोकिला धार्तराष्ट्राश्च भ्रमराः श्वेतपत्रकाः

Transliteration

pakṣiṇo madhurārāvāścakoraśikhicātakāḥ | kokilā dhārtarāṣṭrāśca bhramarāḥ śvetapatrakāḥ

Translation

তাত মধুৰ ধ্বনি কৰা পক্ষী আছিল—চকোৰ, শিখী (ময়ূৰ) আৰু চাতক; কোকিলো আছিল, লগতে ধাৰ্তৰাষ্ট্ৰ পক্ষী, আৰু ভ্ৰমৰ, আৰু শ্বেতপত্ৰক (শুভ্ৰ পাখিযুক্ত) পক্ষীও।

Word by Word

• pakṣiṇaḥ: birds
• pakṣiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• madhura-ārāvāḥ: sweet-sounding
• madhura-ārāvāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक) + ārāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (मधुरः आरावः यस्य)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• cakora-śikhi-cātakāḥ: cakoras, peacocks, and cātakas
• cakora-śikhi-cātakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakora (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhin (प्रातिपदिक) + cātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चकोराः च शिखिनः च चातकाः च)

• kokilāḥ: cuckoos
• kokilāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kokilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ: dhārtarāṣṭra-birds
• dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārtarāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; जातिवाचक (a kind of bird)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• bhramarāḥ: bees
• bhramarāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhramara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• śveta-patrakāḥ: white-winged/white-feathered (ones)
• śveta-patrakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śveta (प्रातिपदिक) + patraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्वेतं पत्रकं येषाम्)

Speaker

Narrator (descriptive māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-parvata

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flowering forest on Arbuda alive with cakora birds, peacocks, cātakas, cuckoos, dhārtarāṣṭra birds, bees, and white-feathered birds; the scene emphasizes movement—fluttering wings, peacock display, bees hovering over blossoms.

Characters & Entities

• Arbuda-parvata
• Cakora
• Śikhi (Peacock)
• Cātaka
• Kokila
• Bhramara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a sanctified place, even sound (birdsong) becomes a sign of harmony, purity, and dharmic delight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mount Arbuda and its auspicious natural soundscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.