Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

इदं पुराणमायुष्यं चतुर्वर्णसुखप्रदम् । निर्मितं षण्मुखेनेह नियतं सुमहात्मना

Transliteration

idaṃ purāṇamāyuṣyaṃ caturvarṇasukhapradam | nirmitaṃ ṣaṇmukheneha niyataṃ sumahātmanā

Translation

यह पुराण आयुष्यवर्धक है और चारों वर्णों को सुख-कल्याण देने वाला है। यहाँ इसे महात्मा षण्मुख (षडानन) ने रचा और विधिवत् प्रतिष्ठित किया।

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणम् इति)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आयुष्यम्: life-promoting, conducive to longevity
• आयुष्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणम् इति)

• चतुर्वर्णसुखप्रदम्: bestowing happiness to the four varṇas
• चतुर्वर्णसुखप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + varṇa + sukha + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (चतुर्णां वर्णानां सुखं प्रददाति इति)

• निर्मितम्: made, composed
• निर्मितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-मा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पुराणम् इति) विशेषण

• षण्मुखेन: by the Six-faced one (Skanda)
• षण्मुखेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṇ + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (षण्मुखः = षण्मुखो यस्य सः, Skanda)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this world)

• नियतम्: regulated, established
• नियतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पुराणम् इति) विशेषण

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled one
• सुमहात्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुः महात्मा)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience within Dvārakāmāhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ṣaṇmukha/Skanda as a radiant six-faced deity presenting or consecrating a manuscript of the Skanda Purāṇa, with representatives of four varṇas respectfully receiving blessings; backdrop hints of coastal Dvārakā temples.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Ṣaṇmukha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma is presented as universally beneficial—supporting worldly well-being and spiritual order when received with reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the verse praises the Purāṇa’s power within the Dvārakā-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; it is a statement of the text’s benefits.