Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सुराष्ट्रदेशे विख्यातं युगादौ प्रथमं स्थितम् । भूधरं भूधरैर्युक्तं शिलापादपमंडितम्

Transliteration

surāṣṭradeśe vikhyātaṃ yugādau prathamaṃ sthitam | bhūdharaṃ bhūdharairyuktaṃ śilāpādapamaṃḍitam

Translation

Célèbre au pays de Surāṣṭra, établi dès l’aube même de l’âge, c’est un vaste massif montagneux, accompagné d’autres chaînes, orné de rochers et d’arbres.

Word by Word

• surāṣṭra-deśe: in the Surāṣṭra region
• surāṣṭra-deśe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surāṣṭra + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुराष्ट्रस्य देशः)

• vikhyātam: renowned
• vikhyātam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-khyā (धातु) → vikhyāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of bhūdharaṃ)

• yuga-ādau: at the beginning of the age
• yuga-ādau: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (युगस्य आदौ)

• prathamam: first
• prathamam: Viśeṣaṇa/Avyaya-bhāva (Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (first/primarily)

• sthitam: situated, established
• sthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of bhūdharaṃ)

• bhūdharam: the mountain
• bhūdharam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भू-धरः = earth-holder, mountain)

• bhūdharaiḥ: with mountains
• bhūdharaiḥ: Karaṇa/Sahakārī (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; 'by/with mountains'

• yuktam: joined, endowed
• yuktam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuj (धातु) → yukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of bhūdharaṃ)

• śilā-pādapa-maṇḍitam: adorned with rocks and trees
• śilā-pādapa-maṇḍitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śilā + pādapa + maṇḍita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शिलाः च पादपाः च इति उपलक्षणेन; maṇḍita = adorned) विशेषण (of bhūdharaṃ)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ujjayanta-giri

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand, ancient mountain in Surāṣṭra rises with companion ranges; its slopes are studded with boulders and dense trees, conveying timeless stability and sacred natural beauty.

Characters & Entities

• Surāṣṭra
• Ujjayanta (context)
• Mountain ranges

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy regions are sanctified not only by temples but by timeless natural landmarks that anchor sacred memory and pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Surāṣṭra region within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa, especially the famed mountain (Ujjayanta by context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse establishes the antiquity and sanctity of the landscape.