Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 188

Devanagari script

यतित्रयं तथाऽतोद्यं नाट्यं चैव चतुर्विधम् । ननृतुर्जगतामीशे लिख्यमाने विभावसौ

Transliteration

yatitrayaṃ tathā'todyaṃ nāṭyaṃ caiva caturvidham | nanṛturjagatāmīśe likhyamāne vibhāvasau

Translation

Avec les trois yati, l’accompagnement instrumental et l’art du nāṭya en quatre formes, elles dansèrent devant le Seigneur des mondes, tandis que Vibhāvasu (le Feu) regardait comme s’il en consignait la scène.

Word by Word

• यति-त्रयम्: the three yatis (rhythmic patterns)
• यति-त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (‘त्रयः यतयः/यतयः’—संगीत-यतयः)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (in like manner/also)

• आतोद्यम्: instrumental music
• आतोद्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आतोद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• नाट्यम्: dance/drama
• नाट्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाट्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (indeed/just)

• चतुर्विधम्: fourfold
• चतुर्विधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणं नाट्यम् प्रति

• ननृतुः: they danced
• ननृतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• जगताम्: of the worlds/of beings
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• ईशे: in/for the Lord
• ईशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘ईश’—Lord

• लिख्यमाने: while (it was) being written
• लिख्यमाने: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिख् (धातु) → लिख्यमान (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्) कर्मणि—‘being written/inscribed’ (locative absolute with विभावसौ)

• विभावसौ: when Vibhāvasu (Agni) (was present)
• विभावसौ: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभावसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘विभावसु’ = अग्नि/सूर्य; यहाँ—अग्नौ (locative absolute)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine sabhā at Prabhāsa: devotees/attendants perform dance with three yatis and instrumental ensemble before Jagadīśa; Vibhāvasu (Agni) stands as luminous witness, as if inscribing the spectacle in firelight.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Jagadīśa (Lord of worlds)
• Vibhāvasu (Agni)
• Apsarases
• Gandharvas
• Ravi (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship is multi-dimensional—song, instruments, and drama converge as offerings before the Lord, sanctifying the space and the participants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, within whose māhātmya this grand celestial performance is narrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse describes devotional nāṭya and musical accompaniment as celebratory worship.