Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

अष्टादशपुराणानि कृत्वा सत्यवतीसुतः । भारताख्यानमकरोद्वेदार्थैरुपबृंहितम्

Transliteration

aṣṭādaśapurāṇāni kṛtvā satyavatīsutaḥ | bhāratākhyānamakarodvedārthairupabṛṃhitam

Translation

After composing the eighteen Purāṇas, the son of Satyavatī (Vyāsa) then composed the narrative called the Bhārata, enriched with the essential meanings of the Vedas.

Word by Word

• अष्टादशपुराणानि: the eighteen Purāṇas
• अष्टादशपुराणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टादश + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक; अष्टादश = संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टादशानि पुराणानि)

• कृत्वा: having composed/made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having done/made

• सत्यवतीसुतः: the son of Satyavatī (Vyāsa)
• सत्यवतीसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवती + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सत्यवत्याः सुतः)

• भारताख्यानम्: the Bhārata narrative (Mahābhārata)
• भारताख्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भारतस्य आख्यानम्)

• अकरोत्: made/composed
• अकरोत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वेदार्थैः: with the meanings of the Veda
• वेदार्थैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तृतीया-करणे

• उपबृंहितम्: expanded, enriched
• उपबृंहितम्: Karma-predicative (कर्मसम्बन्धी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-बृंह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भारताख्यानम् इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijas/assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, composes Purāṇas and the Mahābhārata; Ganesha-like scribal imagery may be implied though not stated; manuscripts radiate as embodiments of Vedic essence.

Characters & Entities

• Satyavatī
• Vyāsa
• Mahābhārata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Itihāsa and Purāṇa are presented as vehicles that carry Vedic meaning into accessible narrative, guiding dharma in the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra frames the discourse, but this verse specifically glorifies Vyāsa’s textual transmission rather than a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse establishes scriptural lineage and authority.