Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीप्रह्लाद उवाच । श्रुत्वा ब्रह्ममहेशानौ यदुक्तं विष्णुपार्षदैः । द्वारकायास्तु माहात्म्यं तद्वर्णयितुमूचतुः

Transliteration

śrīprahlāda uvāca | śrutvā brahmamaheśānau yaduktaṃ viṣṇupārṣadaiḥ | dvārakāyāstu māhātmyaṃ tadvarṇayitumūcatuḥ

Translation

শ্রীপ্রহ্লাদ বললেন—বিষ্ণুর পার্ষদদের কথিত বাণী শুনে ব্রহ্মা ও মহেশ তখন দ্বারকার মাহাত্ম্য বর্ণনা করতে আরম্ভ করলেন।

Word by Word

• श्रीप्रह्लादः: Śrī Prahlāda
• श्रीप्रह्लादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (श्रीमान् प्रह्लादः)

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

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• ब्रह्ममहेशानौ: Brahmā and Maheśa
• ब्रह्ममहेशानौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (ब्रह्मा च महेशः च)

• यत्: what (that which)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (relative)

• उक्तम्: said, spoken
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष्णुपार्षदैः: by Vishnu's attendants
• विष्णुपार्षदैः: Karana/Agent (Instrumental; by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + पार्षद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः पार्षदाः)

• द्वारकायाः: of Dvārakā
• द्वारकायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अवधान/विरोधार्थक

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• वर्णयितुम्: to describe
• वर्णयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु) → वर्णयितुम् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); अव्ययभाव

• ऊचतुः: they two said
• ऊचतुः: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahlāda, serene and radiant, speaks as narrator; nearby Brahmā (four-faced) and Maheśa (with trident and matted locks) turn toward an assembly, beginning the formal description of Dvārakā’s glory; a subtle backdrop hints at the ocean-city.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Brahmā
• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Viṣṇu’s Pārṣadas
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest deities turn to praise sacred dhāmas—Dvārakā’s greatness is affirmed through authoritative voices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, whose māhātmya is about to be expounded by Brahmā and Maheśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it sets the narrative frame for the forthcoming glorification.