Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तं च देवं चिरं स्थाणुं वृषभध्वजसंज्ञितम् । पृथुर्मरुच्च भरतः शशबिन्दुर्गयः शिबिः

Transliteration

taṃ ca devaṃ ciraṃ sthāṇuṃ vṛṣabhadhvajasaṃjñitam | pṛthurmarucca bharataḥ śaśabindurgayaḥ śibiḥ

Translation

ആ പുരാതനവും അചഞ്ചലനുമായ ദേവൻ ‘വൃഷഭധ്വജ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധൻ; പൃഥു, മരുത്ത, ഭരത, ശശബിന്ദു, ഗയ, ശിബി എന്നിവർ അവനെ ആരാധിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चिरम्: for a long time/long
• चिरम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• स्थाणुम्: Sthāṇu (Śiva)
• स्थाणुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिव-नाम (epithet)

• वृषभध्वजसंज्ञितम्: called/known as ‘having the bull-banner’
• वृषभध्वजसंज्ञितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृषभ + ध्वज + संज्ञित (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा (धातु) + सम्-उपसर्ग, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle)

• पृथुः: Pṛthu
• पृथुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; राजनाम

• मरुत्: Marut
• मरुत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; राजनाम (Marut)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भरतः: Bharata
• भरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; राजनाम

• शशबिन्दुः: Śaśabindu
• शशबिन्दुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शश + बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासान्त-नाम

• गयः: Gaya
• गयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; राजनाम

• शिबिः: Śibi
• शिबिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; राजनाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛṣadhvajeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of ancient kings offering worship at a steadfast Śiva-liṅga: Pṛthu and other rulers with crowns and royal parasols, hands folded, presenting lamps and water; the deity symbolized as sthāṇu—immovable pillar-like presence.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣabhadhvaja
• Śiva
• Pṛthu
• Marutta
• Bharata
• Śaśabindu
• Gaya
• Śibi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the greatest kings attained merit by devotion to steadfast Śiva; royal power finds fulfillment through dharmic worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is implied as the sacred setting where Vṛṣabhadhvaja is honored.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of Śiva is indicated, though specific rites are elaborated in surrounding verses rather than here.