Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

श्यामाश्चतुर्भुजाः पीतवस्त्रमाल्यैर्विभूषिताः । स्वप्रभा दीप्यमानौ ते दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्ममहेश्वरौ

Transliteration

śyāmāścaturbhujāḥ pītavastramālyairvibhūṣitāḥ | svaprabhā dīpyamānau te dṛṣṭvā brahmamaheśvarau

Translation

Dark-hued (śyāma) and four-armed, adorned with yellow garments and garlands, they blazed with their own radiance; beholding them, even Brahmā and Maheśvara were struck with wonder.

Word by Word

• श्यामाः: dark-complexioned
• श्यामाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चतुर्भुजाः: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत् (four-armed)

• पीतवस्त्रमाल्यैः: with yellow garments and garlands
• पीतवस्त्रमाल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत + वस्त्र + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया, बहुवचन

• विभूषिताः: adorned
• विभूषिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्वप्रभाः: self-radiant
• स्वप्रभाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘स्वप्रभ’ = स्वा प्रभा यस्य (self-luminous)

• दीप्यमानौ: shining (the two)
• दीप्यमानौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दीप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• ते: those two
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• ब्रह्म: Brahmā
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (देवता-विशेषः)

• महेश्वरौ: and Maheśvara (Śiva) (the two: Brahmā and Maheśvara)
• महेश्वरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (द्वन्द्वार्थे—ब्रह्ममहेश्वरौ = ब्रह्मा च महेश्वरश्च)

Speaker

Deductive (Dvārakā-māhātmya narrative voice; traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two dark-hued, four-armed, pītāmbara-clad, garlanded divine attendants blaze with innate radiance; Brahmā and Maheśvara behold them in astonishment near the sacred precincts of Dvārakā.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Dvārakā
• Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The glory of Hari’s realm is so profound that even the highest deities respond with awe—darśana elevates the heart beyond ordinary perception.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, presented as the locus of extraordinary divine manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse emphasizes darśana—beholding the divine forms as spiritually transformative.