Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा सुरेन्द्रस्य वाक्यमंगिरसां वरः । चिरं ध्यात्वा जगादेदं वाक्यं देवपुरोहितः

Transliteration

prahlāda uvāca | etacchrutvā surendrasya vākyamaṃgirasāṃ varaḥ | ciraṃ dhyātvā jagādedaṃ vākyaṃ devapurohitaḥ

Translation

Prahlāda sprach: Als er die Bitte Surendras vernommen hatte, sann der Beste der Aṅgirasa—Bṛhaspati, der Priester der Götter—lange nach und sprach dann diese Worte.

Word by Word

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• सुरेन्द्रस्य: of the lord of gods (Indra)
• सुरेन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

• वाक्यम्: speech, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• अङ्गिरसाम्: of the Aṅgirases (descendants of Aṅgiras)
• अङ्गिरसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• वरः: the best, excellent one
• वरः: Karta (Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रयोग)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: 'for a long time')

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated/thought
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• जगाद: said, spoke
• जगाद: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object of जगाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• वाक्यम्: statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object; apposition to इदम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• देवपुरोहितः: the gods' priest
• देवपुरोहितः: Karta (Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (introductory frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In Indra’s celestial court, Bṛhaspati—radiant and composed—pauses in deep contemplation before speaking, while Prahlāda narrates the exchange.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Surendra (Indra)
• Bṛhaspati
• Aṅgiras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It models humility and deliberation: sacred guidance about tīrtha and dharma should be sought respectfully and given thoughtfully.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not yet named; this verse introduces Bṛhaspati’s forthcoming revelation about a Kali-avoided sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative transition marking Bṛhaspati’s contemplation before giving authoritative instruction.