Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

वाराहकल्पवृत्तान्तमधिकृत्य परात्परः । यत्राह धर्मानखिलांस्तदुक्तं वैष्णवं विदुः

Transliteration

vārāhakalpavṛttāntamadhikṛtya parātparaḥ | yatrāha dharmānakhilāṃstaduktaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ viduḥ

Translation

That discourse which takes up the account of the Vārāha Kalpa, wherein the Supreme of the supreme proclaims all dharmas, is known as the Vaiṣṇava (Purāṇa).

Word by Word

• वाराह-कल्प-वृत्तान्तम्: the narrative of the Varāha-kalpa
• वाराह-कल्प-वृत्तान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्तान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular ‘account of the Varāha-kalpa’

• अधिकृत्य: having taken as the subject
• अधिकृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि-√कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा/ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having taken as the topic/basis’

• परात्-परः: the supreme (one)
• परात्-परः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘higher than the high; supreme’ (qualifying वक्ता/भगवान् implied)

• यत्र: wherein
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक) — ‘where/wherein’

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√ब्रू (धातु; परोक्षभाषा ‘आह’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect ‘said’

• धर्मान्: dharmas; duties
• धर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural ‘duties/laws’

• अखिलान्: all
• अखिलान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — ‘all/entire’ qualifying धर्मान्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘that’

• उक्तम्: declared
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘said/declared’ (as predicate with तत्)

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘Vaiṣṇava’ qualifying (पुराणम् implied / तत् उक्तम्)

• विदुः: they know/consider
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect ‘they know/consider’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) — deduced (cataloguing Purāṇas and their themes)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varāha (boar incarnation) as cosmic savior stands or appears in vision while the Supreme teaches dharma to sages; a caption-like emphasis on ‘Vārāha-kalpa’ and ‘Vaiṣṇava’ classification.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāha Kalpa
• Vaiṣṇava (Purāṇa)
• Parātpara (the Supreme)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is preserved and transmitted through Purāṇic revelation centered on the Supreme Lord and cosmic cycles (Kalpas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate setting is Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya discourse, though this verse primarily classifies a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa by its subject-matter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; the verse defines the Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa through its Kalpa-based dharma exposition.