Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अत्र गाथा पुरा गीता विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । स्नेहार्द्रेण च चित्तेन धर्मपुत्रं प्रति प्रिये

Transliteration

atra gāthā purā gītā viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | snehārdreṇa ca cittena dharmaputraṃ prati priye

Translation

Here is a gāthā once sung of old by Viṣṇu—the mighty Viṣṇu, the source of all beginnings—spoken with a heart softened by affection, addressed to Dharma’s son (Dharmaputra), O beloved.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक/देशवाचक अव्यय) — indeclinable adverb of place

• गाथा: a verse/ballad
• गाथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) — indeclinable adverb of time

• गीता: was sung/recited
• गीता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — past passive participle ‘sung/recited’ agreeing with गाथा

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana / Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रभविष्णुना: by the mighty/lordly Viṣṇu
• प्रभविष्णुना: Karana / Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभ + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘प्रभुः विष्णुः’ (the lordly Viṣṇu)

• स्नेहार्द्रेण: with (a mind) softened by affection
• स्नेहार्द्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेह + आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘स्नेहेन आर्द्रः’ (moistened with affection)

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

• चित्तेन: with the mind
• चित्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• धर्मपुत्रम्: Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘धर्मस्य पुत्रः’ (son of Dharma)

• प्रति: towards/to
• प्रति: Sampradana/Direction (प्रति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय (उपपद/पूर्वसर्गसदृश; द्वितीयासह) — preposition ‘towards/with regard to’

• प्रिये: O dear one
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular (address)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) continuing the narration (introducing a quotation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prācī Sarasvatī (as destination implied by the cited gāthā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A narrator at Prabhāsa introduces an ancient gāthā: Viṣṇu, radiant and compassionate, addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with softened heart; the sacred landscape of Sarasvatī/Prabhāsa appears as the implied destination.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic Māhātmyas often preserve revered teachings by great deities, linking tīrtha-glory to Dharma and lived devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is Prācī Sarasvatī in Prabhāsa Kṣetra; the next verse begins the quoted instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces a traditional saying (gāthā).