Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 184

Devanagari script

चतुर्गीतसमायुक्तं चतुवर्णसमुत्थितम् । चतुर्वर्णप्रतीकारं सप्तालंकारभूषितम्

Transliteration

caturgītasamāyuktaṃ catuvarṇasamutthitam | caturvarṇapratīkāraṃ saptālaṃkārabhūṣitam

Translation

Il était pourvu des quatre modes du chant, issu des quatre varṇas ; portant l’emblème des quatre varṇas, et orné de sept alaṃkāras.

Word by Word

• चतुर्गीतसमायुक्तम्: combined with four gītas (songs/modes)
• चतुर्गीतसमायुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + गीत + समायुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुर्गीतैः समायुक्तम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चतुर्वर्णसमुत्थितम्: arisen from four varṇas (classes/tones)
• चतुर्वर्णसमुत्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + वर्ण + समुत्थित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुर्वर्णेभ्यः समुत्थितम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चतुर्वर्णप्रतीकारम्: having the representation of four varṇas
• चतुर्वर्णप्रतीकारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + वर्ण + प्रतीकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुर्वर्णानां प्रतीकारम्/प्रतिरूपम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सप्तालंकारभूषितम्: adorned with seven ornaments (alaṃkāras)
• सप्तालंकारभूषितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + अलंकार + भूषित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तालंकारैः भूषितम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand celestial choir where four streams (symbolizing the four varṇas) converge into one song, adorned by seven visible ‘ornaments’—garlands, anklets, hand-gestures, facial expression, melodic flourishes, rhythmic patterns, and poetic figures—hovering above Prabhāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Gandharvas
• Ravi (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma and devotion are depicted as inclusive and ordered: sacred art reflects social order (varṇa) while offering beauty to the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, the pilgrimage-field whose greatness is narrated through such divine celebrations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse emphasizes culturally sanctioned, ornamented devotional singing as a form of worship.