Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 131

Devanagari script

प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्य्यां पृथुवक्षा महाभुजः । रामः कमलपत्राक्षः पुरोधसमथाब्रवीत्

Transliteration

prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryyāṃ pṛthuvakṣā mahābhujaḥ | rāmaḥ kamalapatrākṣaḥ purodhasamathābravīt

Translation

When the night had dawned into morning, broad-chested, mighty-armed Rāma—lotus-petaled-eyed—then spoke to his family priest.

Word by Word

• प्रभातायाम्: at dawn
• प्रभातायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle)

• शर्वर्याम्: in the night
• शर्वर्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पृथु-वक्षाः: broad-chested
• पृथु-वक्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose chest is broad)

• महाबुजः: mighty-armed
• महाबुजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (having great arms)

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कमलपत्र-अक्षः: lotus-petal-eyed
• कमलपत्र-अक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि/अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (having eyes like lotus-petals)

• पुरोधसम्: the priest (purohita)
• पुरोधसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (within Ayodhyāmāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra (Sarayū-tīrtha ambience)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (rṣi/śaunaka-type setting implied by Purāṇic convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At first light in Ayodhyā, Rāma—broad-chested, lotus-eyed—turns toward Vasiṣṭha, the family priest, to initiate the solemn sequence of the great departure.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Purohita (family priest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred transitions are approached with clarity and discipline; dharma is enacted deliberately at auspicious times.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā—depicted as the blessed setting where Rāma initiates the concluding sacred acts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse signals preparation for priest-led rites, though the specific rituals appear in the following verses.