Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ततः पूर्वे दिशां भागे चतुर्वक्त्रेण निर्मितम् । तीर्थात्तीर्थं वरं दिव्यं सर्वाश्चर्यमयं शुभम्

Transliteration

tataḥ pūrve diśāṃ bhāge caturvaktreṇa nirmitam | tīrthāttīrthaṃ varaṃ divyaṃ sarvāścaryamayaṃ śubham

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം കിഴക്കൻ ദിശാഭാഗത്ത് ചതുര്മുഖനായ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് സ്ഥാപിച്ച ഒരു ദിവ്യ തീർത്ഥമുണ്ട്—തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠം, സർവ്വാശ്ചര്യമയം, മംഗളകരം।

Word by Word

• ततः: from there; thereafter
• ततः: Apadana/Sequence (Source/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक/क्रमवाचक (from there/thereafter)

• पूर्वे: in the east
• पूर्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भागे: in the region/part
• भागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्वक्त्रेण: by the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्वक्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य (द्विगु/संख्यासमास)

• निर्मितम्: constructed/created
• निर्मितम्: Visheshana (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मा (धातु) + निर् उपसर्ग + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तीर्थात्: from a tīrtha
• तीर्थात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तीर्थम्: a tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karta/Karma (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वरम्: excellent
• वरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वाश्चर्यमयम्: full of all wonders
• सर्वाश्चर्यमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + आश्चर्य + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—सर्वैः आश्चर्यैः मयम् (तत्पुरुष)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara/Maheśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmakuṇḍa (implied; named explicitly in v.26)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the eastern quarter, a radiant sacred ford/kuṇḍa appears as if newly consecrated by four-faced Brahmā—lotus-born, with Vedic aura—its waters shimmering with auspicious, wondrous signs.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Caturvaktra)
• Tīrtha
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa legitimizes pilgrimage by linking a tīrtha’s sanctity to divine establishment (here, Brahmā) and its auspicious, wonder-filled power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

An eastern tīrtha of Prabhāsa said to be established by Brahmā; its specific name is clarified immediately after as Brahmakuṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription here; it introduces the tīrtha’s divine origin and excellence.