Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तस्याद्यं भारतं वर्षं तच्चापि नवधा स्मृतम् । नवयोजनसाहस्रं दक्षिणोत्तरमानतः

Transliteration

tasyādyaṃ bhārataṃ varṣaṃ taccāpi navadhā smṛtam | navayojanasāhasraṃ dakṣiṇottaramānataḥ

Translation

അവയിൽ ആദ്യം ഭാരതവർഷം; അതും ഒൻപതായി സ്മൃതമാണ്. തെക്കിൽ നിന്ന് വടക്കുവരെ അതിന്റെ അളവ് ഒൻപതിനായിരം യോജനകൾ.

Word by Word

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन — Genitive singular “of that (Jambūdvīpa)”

• ādyam: first
• ādyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — adjective qualifying भारतं वर्षम्

• bhāratam: Bhārata
• bhāratam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — adjective qualifying वर्षम्

• varṣam: region (varṣa)
• varṣam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — “region/varṣa”

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — demonstrative pronoun referring to भारतवर्षम्

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय — “and/also”

• api: also
• api: Emphasis/Addition (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (समुच्चय/अपि-कार) — “also/even”

• navadhā: into nine parts
• navadhā: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + dhā (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — “in nine ways”

• smṛtam: is known
• smṛtam: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) → smṛta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — past passive participle: “is known/considered”

• nava-yojana-sāhasram: nine thousand yojanas
• nava-yojana-sāhasram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक) + sāhasra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — numeral compound used adjectivally: “nine-thousand yojanas”

• dakṣiṇa-uttara-mānataḥ: in north–south measure/extent
• dakṣiṇa-uttara-mānataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + māna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्यय (तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त) — “with respect to measure from south to north”

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine narration highlights Bhārata-varṣa as foremost and describes its ninefold division and north–south measure; a map-like visualization overlays sacred symbolism (rivers, mountains, kṣetras).

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata-varṣa
• Jambūdvīpa
• Yojana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhārata is presented as a uniquely significant sacred region, a stage where dharma, karma, and liberation-oriented life are meaningfully pursued.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single tīrtha is named in this verse; the broader chapter supports the sanctity of Bhārata as the context for eminent kṣetras such as Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it provides a traditional measure and classification of Bhārata-varṣa.