Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

नादयन्ती दिशः सर्वा आब्रह्मभुवनं द्विजाः । अरूपलक्षणाकारा विषादशमनी शुभा

Transliteration

nādayantī diśaḥ sarvā ābrahmabhuvanaṃ dvijāḥ | arūpalakṣaṇākārā viṣādaśamanī śubhā

Translation

O ihr Zweifachgeborenen, sie hallte in alle Richtungen bis zur Welt Brahmās: glückverheißend, den Kummer besänftigend, ohne sichtbare Gestalt, Zeichen oder Form.

Word by Word

• नादयन्ती: resounding / making sound
• नादयन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि; विशेषण (qualifier of ‘वाणी’)

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ‘दिशः’)

• आ-ब्रह्म-भुवनम्: up to Brahmā’s world
• आ-ब्रह्म-भुवनम्: Desha-avadhi (देशावधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; ‘आ’ इत्यव्ययपूर्वकं: ‘आब्रह्मभुवनम्’ = ‘up to Brahmā’s world’; द्वितीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

• अ-रूप-लक्षण-आकारा: formless, yet having marks and a (perceptible) presence
• अ-रूप-लक्षण-आकारा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ‘वाणी’); समासः नञ्-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अरूपा’ (रूपं न यस्याः) + ‘लक्षणाकारा’ (लक्षणं च आकारश्च) इत्यर्थे (समाहार-भाव)

• विषाद-शमनी: dispelling sorrow
• विषाद-शमनी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषाद (प्रातिपदिक) + शमनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (विषादस्य शमनी)

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrative voice (continuing Prahlāda’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gautama and assembled ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast, unseen divine resonance spreads across the sky in concentric waves, touching the horizons and rising toward celestial realms; sages pause in awe as sorrow visibly softens on their faces though no form is seen.

Characters & Entities

• Divine Voice (Divyavāṇī)
• Brahmaloka (Brahmabhavana)
• Dvijas (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine guidance is portrayed as universally beneficial—uplifting, auspicious, and capable of removing despair.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes the divine proclamation itself; the next verses begin naming the sacred region connected to Dvārakā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is given; the emphasis is on the nature and effect of the divine revelation.