Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

श्रूयन्ते वेदनिर्घोषा सरसारक्तचेतसाम् । विष्णुरास्ते तत्र देवो देवानां प्रवरो गुरुः

Transliteration

śrūyante vedanirghoṣā sarasāraktacetasām | viṣṇurāste tatra devo devānāṃ pravaro guruḥ

Translation

സാരസാരത്തിൽ സ്‌നേഹത്തോടെ ലീനമായ മനസ്സുള്ളവരുടെ വേദഘോഷം അവിടെ കേൾക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; അതേ സ്ഥലത്ത് ദേവന്മാരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനും പൂജ്യഗുരുവുമായ ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണു വസിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• श्रूयन्ते: are heard
• श्रूयन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'are heard')

• वेदनिर्घोषाः: Vedic recitations/clamors
• वेदनिर्घोषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + निर्घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वेदानां निर्घोषाः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सरसारक्तचेतसाम्: of those whose minds are attached to essence/nectar (i.e., absorbed)
• सरसारक्तचेतसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सरसा + रक्त + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: सरसारक्तं चेतः येषाम्; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आस्ते: dwells, sits
• आस्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विष्णुः इति विशेष्य (apposition)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रवरः: the foremost
• प्रवरः: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); देवः/विष्णुः इति विशेषण

• गुरुः: teacher, preceptor
• गुरुः: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय (predicate noun)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An āśrama cluster in Prabhāsa: sages seated in rows chanting Veda; the air vibrates with śruti; in the background, Viṣṇu is envisioned as present—serene, teacher-like, blessing the reciters.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vedas
• Sages/reciters

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true tīrtha is known by Vedic sound and absorbed minds; devotion and scriptural recitation invite divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

An āśrama-region in Himavat associated with Pippalāda, presented as a place where Viṣṇu abides.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vedic recitation (veda-nirghoṣa) is highlighted as the living practice sanctifying the place.