Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

सरस्वत्यां ब्रह्मकुण्डेऽसंख्याता मुनयः स्मृताः । दशार्बुदसहस्राणि कोटित्रितयमेव च

Transliteration

sarasvatyāṃ brahmakuṇḍe'saṃkhyātā munayaḥ smṛtāḥ | daśārbudasahasrāṇi koṭitritayameva ca

Translation

സരസ്വതിയുടെ ബ്രഹ്മകുണ്ഡത്തിൽ മുനിമാർ അസംഖ്യരെന്ന് സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു—ദശ ആർബുദ സഹസ്രങ്ങളും, കൂടാതെ മൂന്ന് കോടിയും।

Word by Word

• सरस्वत्याम्: at (the river) Sarasvatī
• सरस्वत्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular

• ब्रह्मकुण्डे: at Brahma-kuṇḍa
• ब्रह्मकुण्डे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मकुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular

• असंख्याताः: innumerable
• असंख्याताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-सम्-√ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक कृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; qualifying मुनयः (‘uncounted/innumerable’)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• स्मृताः: are said, are recorded
• स्मृताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘are remembered/said’

• दशार्बुदसहस्राणि: ten arbuda-thousands (a vast number)
• दशार्बुदसहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश-अर्बुद-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; numeral compound ‘ten arbuda-thousands’

• कोटित्रितयम्: three crores
• कोटित्रितयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि-त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘a triad of crores’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

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

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmakuṇḍa (Sarasvatī)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous kuṇḍa fed by Sarasvatī, steps descending into clear water; countless sages symbolized by layered rows, some performing ācamana and snāna, others chanting Veda; a subtle Brahmā emblem (four-faced icon or lotus) indicating Brahmakuṇḍa’s name.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Brahmakuṇḍa
• Munis
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Brahmakuṇḍa is portrayed as an immeasurably sanctified center where the accumulated tapas of sages magnifies the tīrtha’s power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Brahmakuṇḍa associated with Sarasvatī in the Prabhāsa region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse elevates the site’s holiness by describing its vast assembly of munis.