Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । अत्याश्चर्यं मया दृष्टं दानवेन्द्र धरातले । यत्र दृष्टं क्वचित्पूर्वं त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | atyāścaryaṃ mayā dṛṣṭaṃ dānavendra dharātale | yatra dṛṣṭaṃ kvacitpūrvaṃ trailokye sacarācare

Translation

നാരദൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ദാനവേന്ദ്രാ! ഞാൻ ഭൂതലത്തിൽ അത്യന്തം അത്ഭുതകരമായൊരു ദൃശ്യത്തെ കണ്ടു; അത് മുമ്പ് ത്രൈലോക്യത്തിൽ—ചരാചരസഹിതം—എവിടെയും കണ്ടിട്ടില്ല.

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अति-आश्चर्यम्: a great wonder
• अति-आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'अति' उपसर्गार्थे तीव्रता (very)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दानवेन्द्र: O lord of the Danavas
• दानवेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दानवानाम् इन्द्रः)

• धरातले: on the surface of the earth
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धरायाः तलम्)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्बन्ध-बोधक-स्थानवाचक (relative locative adverb: where)

• दृष्टम्: (was) seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्वचित्: ever/anywhere
• क्वचित्: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनिश्चित-स्थान/कालवाचक (indefinite adverb: somewhere/at some time)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverbial use): पूर्वकालवाचक (formerly)

• त्रैलोक्ये: in the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः लोकाः यस्मिन्)

• सचराचरे: with the moving and the unmoving
• सचराचरे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चराश्च अचराश्च)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unspecified ‘āścarya-sthāna’ within Arbuda-kathā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahiṣāsura

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada declares to the Dānava lord that he has seen an astonishing marvel on earth, unprecedented across the three worlds—setting the stage for a visionary description of the place.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Mahiṣāsura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic worldview frames certain earthly manifestations as unparalleled wonders, hinting at sacred power and divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces an extraordinary place/scene on earth but does not name it yet in this snippet.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an introductory proclamation of an unprecedented marvel.