Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

गौरी च सुप्रभा चैव वार्त्ता साध्वी सुमालिका । वरुणाय ददौ पञ्च तदाऽसौ पर्वतात्मजे

Transliteration

gaurī ca suprabhā caiva vārttā sādhvī sumālikā | varuṇāya dadau pañca tadā'sau parvatātmaje

Translation

Ô fille de la montagne ! Gaurī et Suprabhā, ainsi que Vārttā, Sādhvī et Sumālikā—ces cinq-là, alors, il les donna à Varuṇa.

Word by Word

• गौरी: Gaurī
• गौरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• सुप्रभा: Suprabhā
• सुप्रभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुप्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• वार्त्ता: Vārttā (name)
• वार्त्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्त्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• साध्वी: Sādhvī (name)/virtuous woman
• साध्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुमालिका: Sumālikā
• सुमालिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वरुणाय: to Varuṇa
• वरुणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (indeclinable-like numeral); कर्मपद-विशेषण

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'then')

• असौ: that (person)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संकेतवाचक-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• पर्वतात्मजे: O daughter of the mountain
• पर्वतात्मजे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत + आत्मजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पर्वतस्य आत्मजा)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; note direct address suggests narration to a Goddess—likely Pārvatī as listener within embedded dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī ("pārvatātmaje")

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal divine assembly at Prabhāsa: Dakṣa (or the giver) ceremonially offers five named daughters to Varuṇa; Varuṇa is shown with pāśa and water-pot, attendants bearing conch-like vessels; the sea-horizon hints at Prabhāsa’s coastal sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī
• Suprabhā
• Vārttā
• Sādhvī
• Sumālikā
• Varuṇa
• Pārvatī (Parvatātmajā)
• Dakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic guardianship (like Varuṇa’s) is portrayed as sustained through dharmic bonds and orderly allotment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the māhātmya setting; this verse is a supporting genealogical passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a record of divine associations.