Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । देशानां प्रवरो देशो गिरीणां प्रवरो गिरिः । क्षेत्राणामुत्तमं क्षेत्रं वनानामुत्तमं वनम्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | deśānāṃ pravaro deśo girīṇāṃ pravaro giriḥ | kṣetrāṇāmuttamaṃ kṣetraṃ vanānāmuttamaṃ vanam

Translation

ഈശ്വരൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—‘ദേശങ്ങളിൽ ഇത് ശ്രേഷ്ഠദേശം, ഗിരികളിൽ ഇത് ശ്രേഷ്ഠഗിരി; ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളിൽ ഇത് ഉത്തമക്ഷേത്രം, വനങ്ങളിൽ ഇത് ഉത്തമവനം.’

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: Īśvara (Lord)
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• deśānām: of (all) regions
• deśānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन

• pravaraḥ: best, foremost
• pravaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying deśaḥ)

• deśaḥ: region, country
• deśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• girīṇām: of mountains
• girīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• pravaraḥ: foremost
• pravaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying giriḥ)

• giriḥ: mountain
• giriḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kṣetrāṇām: of sacred fields/holy places
• kṣetrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• uttamam: supreme, excellent
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kṣetram)

• kṣetram: field; holy place
• kṣetram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vanānām: of forests
• vanānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• uttamam: best
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vanam)

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Īśvara (Shiva) speaks in a sacred landscape—mountain, forest, and kṣetra converge—declaring the site supreme; sages and pilgrims listen as the terrain itself seems sanctified by his words.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Kṣetra (holy field)
• Vana (forest)
• Giri (mountain)
• Deśa (region)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is theological: certain places are proclaimed supreme because they intensify dharma, purification, and divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as a broad proclamation of supremacy for the kṣetra being discussed in Vastrāpathakṣetramāhātmya (Prabhāsa region).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a declarative māhātmya statement spoken by Śiva.