Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

अत्र गाथा पुरा गीता नारदेन महात्मना । बहुविप्रसमवाये पर्वतेस्मिन्महीपते

Transliteration

atra gāthā purā gītā nāradena mahātmanā | bahuviprasamavāye parvatesminmahīpate

Translation

Ici, ô roi, jadis le magnanime Nārada chanta un vers sacré, sur cette montagne, au milieu d’une assemblée de nombreux brāhmaṇas.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: here)

• गाथा: a verse/ballad
• गाथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/once)

• गीता: was sung
• गीता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु) + क्त (भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (गाथा) विशेषणरूपेण

• नारदेन: by Narada
• नारदेन: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नारदेन)

• बहुविप्रसमवाये: in the gathering of many Brahmins
• बहुविप्रसमवाये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + विप्र + समवाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बहूनां विप्राणां समवायः)

• पर्वते: on the mountain
• पर्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महीपते: O king (lord of the earth)
• महीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मही + पति)

Speaker

Pulastya (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahīpati (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On Arbuda mountain, Nārada stands amid a large assembly of brāhmaṇas, singing an ancient gāthā; a king listens respectfully as the tīrtha’s glory is about to be revealed.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Mountain (Parvata)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of a place is authenticated through sage-tradition—Nārada’s recitation in a learned assembly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The mountain locale of the Arbuda Khaṇḍa (Arbuda/Aravalli sacred region) where the Māhātmya is being narrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it introduces an authoritative gāthā (traditional verse) about the site.