Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ततस्तया प्रणम्याशु पितामहपुरःसरान् । चारणांश्चारुचित्रांग्या सरस्वत्या दिवि स्थितान्

Transliteration

tatastayā praṇamyāśu pitāmahapuraḥsarān | cāraṇāṃścārucitrāṃgyā sarasvatyā divi sthitān

Translation

Darauf verneigte sich Sarasvatī, von lieblicher und wunderbarer Gestalt, eilends in Ehrfurcht vor den von dem Großvater (Brahmā) Geführten und vor den im Himmel weilenden Cāraṇas.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (thereupon/then)

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नम् (नम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having bowed'

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: quickly)

• पितामहपुरःसरान्: those led by Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहपुरःसरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; 'पितामहस्य पुरःसराः' (those led by Pitāmaha/Brahmā)

• चारणान्: the Cāraṇas (celestial bards)
• चारणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• चारुचित्राङ्ग्या: by the beautiful, wondrous-limbed (one)
• चारुचित्राङ्ग्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + चित्र + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'सरस्वत्या'); 'सुन्दर-चित्र-अङ्गी'

• सरस्वत्या: by Sarasvatī
• सरस्वत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; लोके (in heaven)

• स्थितान्: standing, situated
• स्थितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (स्था धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the groups addressed)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Kṣetra (validated by celestial witnesses)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī, radiant and beautifully formed, bows swiftly to Brahmā and the heavenly Cāraṇas; a luminous celestial hall frames the act of reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Cāraṇas (celestial bards)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence (praṇāma) and humility precede even divine action; honoring elders and witnesses supports dharmic legitimacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra indirectly, as the māhātmya frames its events within a cosmic assembly and sacred history.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied ethos of praṇāma (salutation) before undertaking significant acts, though no formal rite is detailed.