Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य प्रह्लादस्य महात्मनः । विस्मयाविष्टमनसस्तमूचुर्मुनिसत्तमाः

Transliteration

tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya prahlādasya mahātmanaḥ | vismayāviṣṭamanasastamūcurmunisattamāḥ

Translation

Hearing the words of that great-souled Prahlāda, the foremost sages—their minds filled with wonder—spoke to him.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having heard)

• vacanam: speech, words
• vacanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (contextual), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• prahlādasya: of Prahlāda
• prahlādasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahlāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (proper noun)

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled
• mahātmanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of the great-souled)

• vismaya-āviṣṭa-manasām: whose minds were filled with wonder
• vismaya-āviṣṭa-manasām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of speakers/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āviṣṭa (√viś धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; past participle) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति; (vismaya-āviṣṭa) इति विशेषणसमासः, मनसाम (नपुंसकलिङ्ग ‘manas’), ‘whose minds are seized by wonder’

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• muni-sattamāḥ: the best sages
• muni-sattamāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘munīnām sattamāḥ’ (best among sages)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage assembly: Prahlāda seated calmly, speaking; a circle of venerable sages with matted hair and staffs listen, eyes widened in wonder, hands in añjali, ready to question.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Munis (foremost sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hearing authentic māhātmya evokes reverence and inquiry, deepening faith and understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the subject under discussion; this verse marks the sages’ reaction to its praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights śravaṇa and satsanga through the sages’ attentive engagement.