Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ततस्तया प्रणम्याशु पितामहपुरःसरान् । चारणांश्चारुचित्रांग्या सरस्वत्या दिवि स्थितान्

Transliteration

tatastayā praṇamyāśu pitāmahapuraḥsarān | cāraṇāṃścārucitrāṃgyā sarasvatyā divi sthitān

Translation

Alors Sarasvatī, à la forme belle et merveilleuse, se prosterna promptement en révérence devant ceux que précédait le Grand-Père (Brahmā) et devant les Cāraṇa demeurant au ciel.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (thereupon/then)

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नम् (नम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having bowed'

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: quickly)

• पितामहपुरःसरान्: those led by Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहपुरःसरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; 'पितामहस्य पुरःसराः' (those led by Pitāmaha/Brahmā)

• चारणान्: the Cāraṇas (celestial bards)
• चारणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• चारुचित्राङ्ग्या: by the beautiful, wondrous-limbed (one)
• चारुचित्राङ्ग्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + चित्र + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'सरस्वत्या'); 'सुन्दर-चित्र-अङ्गी'

• सरस्वत्या: by Sarasvatī
• सरस्वत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; लोके (in heaven)

• स्थितान्: standing, situated
• स्थितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (स्था धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the groups addressed)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Kṣetra (validated by celestial witnesses)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī, radiant and beautifully formed, bows swiftly to Brahmā and the heavenly Cāraṇas; a luminous celestial hall frames the act of reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Cāraṇas (celestial bards)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence (praṇāma) and humility precede even divine action; honoring elders and witnesses supports dharmic legitimacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra indirectly, as the māhātmya frames its events within a cosmic assembly and sacred history.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied ethos of praṇāma (salutation) before undertaking significant acts, though no formal rite is detailed.