Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

नानाच्छन्दोगतिपथो ब्रह्मोक्तक्रमविक्रमः । भूत्वा यज्ञवराहोऽसौ तत्र स्थाने स्थितोऽभवत्

Transliteration

nānācchandogatipatho brahmoktakramavikramaḥ | bhūtvā yajñavarāho'sau tatra sthāne sthito'bhavat

Translation

His course is the many pathways of Vedic metres; his steps and strides follow the sequence spoken by Brahmā. Having become Yajñavarāha, the Boar of Sacrifice, he came to abide, firmly established in that very place.

Word by Word

• नानाच्छन्दोगतिपथः: one whose path is the course of various metres
• नानाच्छन्दोगतिपथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: नानाछन्दांसि (विविधछन्दांसि) तेषां गतिः, तस्य पथः

• ब्रह्मोक्तक्रमविक्रमः: one whose stride is the sequence spoken by Brahman (Vedic injunction)
• ब्रह्मोक्तक्रमविक्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, वच्/वद् + क्त) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ब्रह्मोक्तः क्रमः, तस्य विक्रमः (पराक्रमः)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया

• यज्ञवराहः: the sacrificial boar (Yajña-Varāha)
• यज्ञवराहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + वराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (यज्ञः एव वराहः)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्थाने: in the place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थितः: stood/remained
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yajñavarāha-sthāna at Prabhāsa (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yajñavarāha strides across a luminous altar-field; his footprints are patterned like Vedic metres (chandas) in geometric bands; Brahmā appears above, gesturing a sequential ‘krama’; the boar-form then settles, becoming a fixed shrine-like presence at Prabhāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Chandas (Vedic metres)
• Brahmā
• Yajñavarāha
• Bhūdhara
• Devikā/Prabhāsa (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha becomes authoritative through divine establishment; Vedic order (chandas and krama) is presented as the cosmic rhythm embodied by the deity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The place where Yajñavarāha/Bhūdhara is said to be established at Devikā-taṭa in Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite; it explains the sanctity’s basis—divine installation and Vedic-structured symbolism.