Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 187

Devanagari script

मेनका सहजन्या च रंभा चाप्सरसां वरा । चतुर्विधपदं तालं त्रिप्रकारं लयत्रयम्

Transliteration

menakā sahajanyā ca raṃbhā cāpsarasāṃ varā | caturvidhapadaṃ tālaṃ triprakāraṃ layatrayam

Translation

মেনকা, সহজন্যা ও রম্ভা—অপ্সরাদের মধ্যে শ্রেষ্ঠা—চারবিধ পদযুক্ত তাল, ত্রিপ্রকার এবং ত্রিলয়সহ (প্রদর্শন করলেন)।

Word by Word

• मेनका: Menakā
• मेनका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेनका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; नाम (अप्सराः)

• सहजन्या: Sahajanyā
• सहजन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहजन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; नाम (अप्सराः)

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

• रंभा: Rambhā
• रंभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रंभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; नाम (अप्सराः)

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

• अप्सरसाम्: of the apsarases
• अप्सरसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• वरा: the best
• वरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘श्रेष्ठा’

• चतुर्विध-पदम्: fourfold in measures/steps
• चतुर्विध-पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्विध (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘चतुर्विधं पदं यस्य/यत्’)

• तालम्: rhythm/beat (tāla)
• तालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• त्रि-प्रकारम्: of three kinds
• त्रि-प्रकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (‘त्रयः प्रकाराः यस्य’)

• लय-त्रयम्: the three tempos (layas)
• लय-त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (‘त्रयः लयाः’)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Menakā, Sahajanyā, and Rambhā perform a synchronized dance: fourfold footwork patterns marked on the ground like a yantra, while three laya-streams flow as ribbon-like arcs above them.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Menakā
• Sahajanyā
• Rambhā
• Apsarases
• Ravi (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional celebration includes disciplined rhythm and movement; sacred places inspire worship through multiple arts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose māhātmya portrays celestial dance and music as part of its divine atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it describes tāla and laya features of the worship-performance.