Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

शब्दविद्येव विस्तीर्णा मतैव जगतः प्रिया । सतां मतिरिव स्वच्छा रमणीया सरस्वती

Transliteration

śabdavidyeva vistīrṇā mataiva jagataḥ priyā | satāṃ matiriva svacchā ramaṇīyā sarasvatī

Translation

Sarasvatī ist weit wie die Wissenschaft des Klanges; der Welt lieb wie rechte Einsicht; klar wie der unterscheidende Geist der Guten—wahrlich, Sarasvatī ist wonnig und anmutig.

Word by Word

• śabda-vidyā: the science of words (grammar/philology)
• śabda-vidyā: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śabdasya vidyā)

• iva: like/as
• iva: Upamā (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• vistīrṇā: expanded/widespread
• vistīrṇā: Karta-predicate (Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√stṛ (स्तृ-धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of sarasvatī

• matā: (right) understanding/opinion
• matā: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √man)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘opinion/understanding’ (as a noun)

• iva: like/as
• iva: Upamā (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय

• jagataḥ: of the world
• jagataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• priyā: dear/beloved
• priyā: Karta-predicate (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of sarasvatī

• satām: of the good (people)
• satām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘of the good/virtuous’

• matiḥ: intellect/understanding
• matiḥ: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iva: like/as
• iva: Upamā (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय

• svacchā: clear/pure
• svacchā: Karta-predicate (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of sarasvatī

• ramaṇīyā: delightful/beautiful
• ramaṇīyā: Karta-predicate (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramaṇīya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of sarasvatī

• sarasvatī: Sarasvatī
• sarasvatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous, crystal-clear Sarasvatī river spreads wide; above her, symbolic motifs: palm-leaf manuscripts (śabda-vidyā), a shining mind-lotus (satāṃ mati), and the world’s affectionate gaze toward the river.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holiness is described not only by power but by qualities—clarity, beneficence, and the refinement that supports dharma and wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarasvatī as the sacred river/tīrtha praised within the Prabhāsa Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a stuti (praise) highlighting Sarasvatī’s auspicious qualities.