Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

केचित्तु शतनामानि जपन्ति मुनयः पथि । अन्ये सहस्रनामानि लक्षनाम तथाऽपरे

Transliteration

kecittu śatanāmāni japanti munayaḥ pathi | anye sahasranāmāni lakṣanāma tathā'pare

Translation

Einige Weise sprechen unterwegs im Japa die hundert Namen; andere die tausend Namen, und wieder andere die hunderttausend Namen.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (indefinite pronoun)

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

• शतनामानि: the hundred names (Śatanāma)
• शतनामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (शतं नामानि यस्य/यत्र); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• जपन्ति: they chant
• जपन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पथि: on the path
• पथि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सहस्रनामानि: the thousand names (Sahasranāma)
• सहस्रनामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (सहस्रं नामानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लक्षनाम: the hundred-thousand names (Lakṣanāma)
• लक्षनाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (लक्षं नामानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise/so)

• अपरे: still others
• अपरे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम-प्रयोग

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moving line of sages on a dusty coastal road toward Dvārakā, lips murmuring names; some count on mālā, others recite from memory, the sea-wind carrying the sound.

Characters & Entities

• Muni
• Nāma
• Japa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Constant nāma-japa—whether brief or extensive—sanctifies even the act of travel and keeps the mind anchored in the Divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dvārakā pilgrimage context is implied; the verse depicts pilgrims and sages approaching or moving within sacred terrain.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa of the Lord’s names—śatanāma, sahasranāma, and even lakṣanāma—especially during yātrā (travel).