Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

यत्र सप्तर्षयो मुष्टास्तेनैव मुनिना प्रिये । तस्यैव पश्चिमे भागे मरीचिप्रमुखा द्विजाः

Transliteration

yatra saptarṣayo muṣṭāstenaiva muninā priye | tasyaiva paścime bhāge marīcipramukhā dvijāḥ

Translation

ഹേ പ്രിയേ, അവിടെ അതേ മുനിയാൽ സപ്തർഷിമാർ ‘മുഷ്ട’യായി, അഥവാ കെട്ടിപ്പിടിച്ച് തടഞ്ഞുവെക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ആ സ്ഥലത്തിന്റെ പടിഞ്ഞാറ് ഭാഗത്ത് മരീചി മുതലായ ദ്വിജർ വസിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (where)

• सप्तर्षयः: the seven sages
• सप्तर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural); द्विगु-समासः (सप्त ऋषयः)

• मुष्टाः: stolen/robbed
• मुष्टाः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मुष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (Past passive participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural); सप्तर्षयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भवः (contextual)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• मुनिना: by the sage
• मुनिना: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• प्रिये: O dear one
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• पश्चिमे: in the western
• पश्चिमे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular); भागे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भागे: part/region
• भागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• मरीचिप्रमुखाः: with Marīci as the foremost
• मरीचिप्रमुखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मरीचि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural); तत्पुरुषः (मरीचिः प्रमुखः येषां ते) — अर्थतः बहुव्रीहिवत्-प्रयोगः; द्विजाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• द्विजाः: twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration to the Goddess)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Saptarṣi-sthāna and Marīci-ādi-dvija-vāsa (western quarter) near Devikā-taṭa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vālmīki’s ascetic power causes the Saptarṣis to be ‘held’ (as if paused in their movement), while to the west a serene grove hosts Marīci and other brāhmaṇa sages in contemplation and discourse.

Characters & Entities

• Saptarṣi
• Marīci
• Vālmīki

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy places are mapped through rishi-presence and legendary events, establishing authority and sanctity for pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Śūlasthāna area on Devikā’s bank, associated with Vālmīki, the Saptarṣis, and Marīci.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; it situates sacred persons and directions (western part) as part of the site’s māhātmya.