Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद उवाच । नृगो नाम नृपो विप्राः सार्वभौमो बलान्वितः । बुद्धिमान्धृतिमान्दक्षः श्रीमान्सर्वगुणान्वितः

Transliteration

prahlāda uvāca | nṛgo nāma nṛpo viprāḥ sārvabhaumo balānvitaḥ | buddhimāndhṛtimāndakṣaḥ śrīmānsarvaguṇānvitaḥ

Translation

প্রহ্লাদ বললেন— ‘হে বিপ্রগণ! নৃগ নামে এক রাজা ছিলেন—সার্বভৌম, বলবান, বুদ্ধিমান, ধৈর্যশীল, দক্ষ, শ্রীসম্পন্ন ও সর্বগুণে ভূষিত।’

Word by Word

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नृगः: Nṛga
• नृगः: Karta (Topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Apposition (to नृगः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विप्राः: O brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सार्वभौमः: universal sovereign
• सार्वभौमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्वभौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• बलान्वितः: endowed with strength
• बलान्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (बलेन अन्वितः = endowed with strength)

• बुद्धिमान्: intelligent
• बुद्धिमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• धृतिमान्: steadfast
• धृतिमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त

• दक्षः: skilful
• दक्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• श्रीमान्: prosperous, illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त

• सर्वगुणान्वितः: endowed with all virtues
• सर्वगुणान्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः गुणैः अन्वितः = endowed with all virtues)

Speaker

Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahlāda, serene and authoritative, addresses assembled brāhmaṇas/sages, describing Nṛga as a universal monarch endowed with virtues; the scene foreshadows a moral turn.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Nṛga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a highly virtuous ruler is still bound by karma; dharma must be practiced with precision, not only with good intentions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Dvārakā Māhātmya, praising Kṛṣṇa’s sacred realm and its dharma-teaching narratives.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated here; the verse establishes Nṛga’s royal excellence and moral stature.