Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । प्रह्लादं सर्वधर्मज्ञं वेदशास्त्रार्थपारगम् । वैष्णवागमतत्त्वज्ञं भगवद्भक्तितत्परम्

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | prahlādaṃ sarvadharmajñaṃ vedaśāstrārthapāragam | vaiṣṇavāgamatattvajñaṃ bhagavadbhaktitatparam

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: (Ich will berichten von) Prahlāda—dem Kenner aller Dharma, der das ferne Ufer der Bedeutungen von Veda und Śāstra erreicht hat, der die Wahrheiten der vaiṣṇavischen Überlieferung kennt und ganz in Bhakti dem Bhagavān hingegeben ist.

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the venerable Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘श्रीमान् मार्कण्डेयः’ कर्मधारयः; Nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘said’

• प्रह्लादम्: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• सर्वधर्मज्ञम्: knower of all dharmas
• सर्वधर्मज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-धर्म-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सर्वान् धर्मान् जानाति’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणम्; qualifying ‘प्रह्लादम्’

• वेदशास्त्रार्थपारगम्: versed in the meanings of Veda and śāstra
• वेदशास्त्रार्थपारगम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-शास्त्र-अर्थ-पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘वेदशास्त्रयोः अर्थेषु पारगः’); qualifying ‘प्रह्लादम्’

• वैष्णवागमतत्त्वज्ञम्: knower of the essence of Vaiṣṇava tradition
• वैष्णवागमतत्त्वज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव-आगम-तत्त्व-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वैष्णवागमस्य तत्त्वं जानाति’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; qualifying ‘प्रह्लादम्’

• भगवद्भक्तितत्परम्: devoted to devotion to the Lord
• भगवद्भक्तितत्परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्-भक्ति-तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भगवति भक्तौ तत्परः’ इति सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः; qualifying ‘प्रह्लादम्’

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya ṛṣi formally introduces Prahlāda as an ideal Vaiṣṇava teacher—serene, radiant, and scripturally accomplished—setting a didactic, pilgrimage-mahātmya tone.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Prahlāda
• Veda
• Śāstra
• Vaiṣṇava Āgama
• Bhagavān

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prahlāda is upheld as the model devotee—uniting scriptural insight with unwavering bhakti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it serves as a narrative introduction within the Dvārakā Māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a eulogy/introduction highlighting qualifications in dharma and devotion.