Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

सत्रान्ते सूतमनघं नैमिषेया महर्षयः । पुराणसंहितां पुण्यां पप्रच्छू रोमहर्षणम्

Transliteration

satrānte sūtamanaghaṃ naimiṣeyā maharṣayaḥ | purāṇasaṃhitāṃ puṇyāṃ papracchū romaharṣaṇam

Translation

സത്രാന്ത്യത്തിൽ നൈമിഷാരണ്യത്തിലെ മഹർഷിമാർ പാപരഹിതനായ സൂതൻ രോമഹർഷണനോട് പുണ്യമായ പുരാണസംഹിതയെക്കുറിച്ച് ചോദിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• सत्रान्ते: at the end of the satra
• सत्रान्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (at the end of the sacrificial session)

• सूतम्: the Sūta (bard)
• सूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (the Sūta)

• अनघम्: blameless
• अनघम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (सूतम्) विशेषणम्; Accusative singular (blameless)

• नैमिषेयाः: the sages of Naimiṣa
• नैमिषेयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमिषेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (the Naimiṣeya-s)

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (great sages)

• पुराणसंहिताम्: the Purāṇa compendium
• पुराणसंहिताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण-संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (the Purāṇa-compendium)

• पुण्याम्: holy
• पुण्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पुराणसंहिताम्) विशेषणम्; Accusative singular (holy)

• पप्रच्छुः: asked
• पप्रच्छुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person plural (they asked)

• रोमहर्षणम्: Romaharṣaṇa
• रोमहर्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमहर्षण (प्रातिपदिक; व्यक्तिनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (Romaharṣaṇa)

Speaker

Narrator (frame narrative voice within Adhyāya 1; contextually Vyāsa’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya (frame-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣeya Mahārṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage at Naimiṣa: sages seated in a circle after completing a satra; the sinless Sūta Romaharṣaṇa sits respectfully, ready to speak; sacrificial fires smolder; calm scholarly anticipation fills the air.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Romaharṣaṇa)
• Naimiṣāraṇya
• Maharṣis (sages)
• Purāṇa-saṃhitā
• Satra (sacrificial session)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge is transmitted through humble inquiry and authoritative recitation within a dharmic assembly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Naimiṣāraṇya is the immediate setting of the frame narrative; it introduces the Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya that follows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The context is a satra (extended sacrificial rite), indicating a setting of yajña and disciplined listening (śravaṇa) to Purāṇic teaching.