Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

शिखिभिः कोकिलाभिश्च गीयमानं तु षट्पदैः । मृगैरृक्षैर्वराहैश्च सिंहैर्व्याघ्रैस्तथा परैः

Transliteration

śikhibhiḥ kokilābhiśca gīyamānaṃ tu ṣaṭpadaiḥ | mṛgairṛkṣairvarāhaiśca siṃhairvyāghraistathā paraiḥ

Translation

મોર અને કોયલના કલરવથી તે ગુંજે છે અને જાણે ભમરાઓના ગાનથી ગવાતું હોય તેમ લાગે છે. ત્યાં હરણ, ઋક્ષ (રીંછ), વરાહ, સિંહ, વ્યાઘ્ર તથા અન્ય પ્રાણીઓ પણ વસે છે.

Word by Word

• शिखिभिः: with peacocks
• शिखिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• कोकिलाभिः: with cuckoos
• कोकिलाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

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

• गीयमानम्: being sung (of)
• गीयमानम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गै (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Present passive participle, Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• षट्पदैः: by bees (six-footed ones)
• षट्पदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (षट्+पद), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Dvigu compound, Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• मृगैः: with deer/wild animals
• मृगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• ऋक्षैः: with bears
• ऋक्षैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• वराहैः: with boars
• वराहैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

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

• सिंहैः: with lions
• सिंहैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• व्याघ्रैः: with tigers
• व्याघ्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise)

• परैः: with others
• परैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; विशेषण

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāsiddhivana (Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vibrant sound-filled forest: peacocks calling from branches, cuckoos hidden in foliage; bees swarming over blossoms like a chorus; deer grazing in clearings; bears and boars near thickets; in the distance, a lion and tiger appear as majestic silhouettes—more emblematic than threatening—under the canopy.

Characters & Entities

• Śikhin (peacock)
• Kokilā (cuckoo)
• Ṣaṭpada (bee)
• Mṛga (deer)
• Ṛkṣa (bear)
• Varāha (boar)
• Siṃha (lion)
• Vyāghra (tiger)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred forest is portrayed as vibrant and complete—its harmony of sound and life suggests a realm naturally aligned with dharma and tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The forest region of Devikā/Kāmika kṣetra within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse supplies environmental markers that elevate the kṣetra’s māhātmya.