Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 114

Devanagari script

भेरुंडानि च सामानि च्छंदोगः पश्चिमेऽजपत् । अथर्वाथर्वशिरसं स्कम्भस्तंभमथर्वणम्

Transliteration

bheruṃḍāni ca sāmāni cchaṃdogaḥ paścime'japat | atharvātharvaśirasaṃ skambhastaṃbhamatharvaṇam

Translation

Im Westen sang der Chāndoga die Sāman-Gesänge, die Bheruṇḍa heißen; und es wurden auch atharvanische Texte rezitiert—Atharvaśiras sowie der Hymnus Skambha-stambha—wodurch das Ritual im Schutz- und Festigungsstrom des Atharva vollendet wurde.

Word by Word

• भेरुण्डानि: Bheruṇḍa (chants)
• भेरुण्डानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bheruṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; name(s) of chants

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सामानि: Sāmans (chants)
• सामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; chants

• छन्दोगः: the Chāndoga (Sāma-priest)
• छन्दोगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chāndoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agent noun ‘Chāndoga (Sāmavedic priest)’

• पश्चिमे: in the west
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative ‘in the west’

• अजपत्: recited
• अजपत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘recited’

• अथर्व: Atharva (text/formula)
• अथर्व: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atharvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; name of Atharva-portion/text

• अथर्वशिरसम्: Atharvaśiras (text)
• अथर्वशिरसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atharva (प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अथर्वणः शिरः/अथर्वशिरस्-नामकं)

• स्कम्भस्तम्भम्: Skambha and Stambha (hymns)
• स्कम्भस्तम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skambha (प्रातिपदिक) + stambha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (स्कम्भ + स्तम्भ) समाहारद्वन्द्वः

• अथर्वणम्: Atharvan (formula)
• अथर्वणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atharvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Atharvan (text/formula)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the western quarter, Chāndoga singers chant Bheruṇḍa Sāmans with rhythmic sway; Atharvan priests recite Atharvaśiras and Skambha-stambha, visualized as a luminous cosmic pillar (stambha) rising behind the altar, symbolizing stability and protection as the sun lowers toward the sea.

Characters & Entities

• Chāndoga (Sāmavedin)
• Atharvaśiras
• Skambha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Different Vedic streams together form a complete sanctification—melody (Sāman) and protective Atharvan power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, portrayed as hosting comprehensive Vedic recitation across all directions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Western placement of the Chāndoga for Sāman chants, alongside Atharvan recitations like Atharvaśiras.