Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

हिरण्यगर्भनामेति कृते सूर्येति कीर्तितम् । त्रेतायां सवितानाम द्वापरे भास्करः स्मृतः

Transliteration

hiraṇyagarbhanāmeti kṛte sūryeti kīrtitam | tretāyāṃ savitānāma dvāpare bhāskaraḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

In the Kṛta age he is known by the name Hiraṇyagarbha, and in that age he is praised as Sūrya. In the Tretā he is called Savitṛ, and in the Dvāpara he is remembered as Bhāskara.

Word by Word

• हिरण्यगर्भनाम: the name ‘Hiraṇyagarbha’
• हिरण्यगर्भनाम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हिरण्यगर्भस्य नाम)

• इति: thus/‘as’
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• कृते: in the Kṛta (age)
• कृते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘कृतयुगे’ (locative of time)

• सूर्य: (the name) ‘Sūrya’
• सूर्य: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नामरूपेण)

• इति: thus/‘as’
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• कीर्तितम्: is proclaimed/celebrated
• कीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘is proclaimed’

• त्रेतायाम्: in Tretā (age)
• त्रेतायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘त्रेतायुगे’ (locative of time)

• सविता: (the name) ‘Savitā’
• सविता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नामरूपेण)

• नाम: as (his) name
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘नाम’ (as name/nominal marker)

• द्वापरे: in Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘द्वापरयुगे’ (locative of time)

• भास्करः: (the name) ‘Bhāskara’
• भास्करः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नामरूपेण)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/considered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘is remembered/known’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arkasthala (Sūrya-sthala)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A four-panel yuga tableau: in each age the same radiant Sūrya appears with a distinct name-banner—Hiraṇyagarbha (Kṛta), Sūrya (Kṛta praise), Savitṛ (Tretā), Bhāskara (Dvāpara)—while the underlying solar disc remains identical.

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyagarbha
• Sūrya
• Savitṛ
• Bhāskara
• Kṛta-yuga
• Tretā-yuga
• Dvāpara-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The one Sun is worshipped through many names suited to time and dharma, teaching unity behind diverse forms of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya, supporting Sūrya worship connected to that sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse supplies authoritative names for praise (kīrtana) and remembrance (smaraṇa).