Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तस्मिञ्जनपदे रम्ये पुरी भगवती शुभा । चातुर्वर्ण्यसमायुक्ता पुरप्राकारमंडिता

Transliteration

tasmiñjanapade ramye purī bhagavatī śubhā | cāturvarṇyasamāyuktā puraprākāramaṃḍitā

Translation

ആ രമ്യജനപദത്തിൽ ശുഭവും ഭഗവതീസദൃശമായും ദീപ്തമായ ഒരു പുരി ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അത് ചാതുര്വർണ്യസമന്വിതവും നഗരപ്രാകാരങ്ങളും മതിലുകളും കൊണ്ട് അലങ്കൃതവുമായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• जनपदे: country, realm
• जनपदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• रम्ये: pleasant, beautiful
• रम्ये: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; जनपदे इति विशेषणम्

• पुरी: city
• पुरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• भगवती: splendid, venerable
• भगवती: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पुरी इति विशेषणम्

• शुभा: auspicious, beautiful
• शुभा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पुरी इति विशेषणम्

• चातुर्वर्ण्यसमायुक्ता: endowed with the four varṇas
• चातुर्वर्ण्यसमायुक्ता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य-समायुक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—चातुर्वर्ण्येन समायुक्ता (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); ‘समायुक्त’ (क्त)

• पुरप्राकारमण्डिता: adorned with city-walls/ramparts
• पुरप्राकारमण्डिता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुर-प्राकार-मण्डित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—पुरस्य प्राकारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + प्राकारैः मण्डिता (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); ‘मण्डित’ (क्त)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (narrating)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant fortified city within a verdant realm: high ramparts, gateways, banners, orderly streets, and citizens of varied stations moving in harmony under auspicious skies.

Characters & Entities

• Cāturvarṇya (four varṇas)
• City ramparts (prākāra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A well-ordered society and protected civic life are portrayed as outcomes of dharmic rule and accumulated merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets the scene within the Prabhāsa Māhātmya’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive verse establishing the narrative setting.