Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

धर्म पत्न्यः समाख्याता दक्षः प्राचेतसो ददौ । अदितिर्दितिर्दनुस्तद्वदरिष्टा सुरसैव च

Transliteration

dharma patnyaḥ samākhyātā dakṣaḥ prācetaso dadau | aditirditirdanustadvadariṣṭā surasaiva ca

Translation

Thus have the wives of Dharma been proclaimed by name. Dakṣa, son of Prācetas, also bestowed (his daughters) Aditi, Diti, and Danu—likewise Ariṣṭā and Surasā as well.

Word by Word

• धर्म: of Dharma
• धर्म: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• पत्न्यः: wives
• पत्न्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• समाख्याता: were declared/named
• समाख्याता: Kriya/Predicate (Action-state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• प्राचेतसः: son of Pracetā/Prācetasa (epithet)
• प्राचेतसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राचेतस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (epithet)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अदितिः: Aditi
• अदितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• दितिः: Diti
• दितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• दनुः: Danu
• दनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Sambandha/Modifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तुल्यबोधक)
• Form: तुल्यताबोधक-अव्यय (adverb: 'likewise')

• अरिष्टा: Ariṣṭā
• अरिष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• सुरसा: Surasā
• सुरसा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha/Modifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dakṣa presenting key daughters—Aditi luminous and serene, Diti intense, Danu oceanic/serpentine aura, Ariṣṭā and Surasā with protective/serpent motifs—hinting at future devas, daityas, dānavas, and nāgas emerging from them.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Prācetas
• Dharma
• Aditi
• Diti
• Danu
• Ariṣṭā
• Surasā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇas teach that diverse classes of beings arise from ordained lineages—difference is integrated into a single dharmic cosmos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader narration is embedded in Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, providing sacred context for the cosmological account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.