Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ततः पूर्वे दिशां भागे चतुर्वक्त्रेण निर्मितम् । तीर्थात्तीर्थं वरं दिव्यं सर्वाश्चर्यमयं शुभम्

Transliteration

tataḥ pūrve diśāṃ bhāge caturvaktreṇa nirmitam | tīrthāttīrthaṃ varaṃ divyaṃ sarvāścaryamayaṃ śubham

Translation

Selanjutnya, di bahagian timur terdapat tempat suci yang didirikan oleh Yang Bermuka Empat (Brahmā)—sebuah tīrtha ilahi, terbaik antara segala tīrtha, penuh keajaiban dan keberkatan.

Word by Word

• ततः: from there; thereafter
• ततः: Apadana/Sequence (Source/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक/क्रमवाचक (from there/thereafter)

• पूर्वे: in the east
• पूर्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भागे: in the region/part
• भागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्वक्त्रेण: by the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्वक्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य (द्विगु/संख्यासमास)

• निर्मितम्: constructed/created
• निर्मितम्: Visheshana (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मा (धातु) + निर् उपसर्ग + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तीर्थात्: from a tīrtha
• तीर्थात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तीर्थम्: a tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karta/Karma (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वरम्: excellent
• वरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वाश्चर्यमयम्: full of all wonders
• सर्वाश्चर्यमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + आश्चर्य + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—सर्वैः आश्चर्यैः मयम् (तत्पुरुष)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara/Maheśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmakuṇḍa (implied; named explicitly in v.26)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the eastern quarter, a radiant sacred ford/kuṇḍa appears as if newly consecrated by four-faced Brahmā—lotus-born, with Vedic aura—its waters shimmering with auspicious, wondrous signs.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Caturvaktra)
• Tīrtha
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa legitimizes pilgrimage by linking a tīrtha’s sanctity to divine establishment (here, Brahmā) and its auspicious, wonder-filled power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

An eastern tīrtha of Prabhāsa said to be established by Brahmā; its specific name is clarified immediately after as Brahmakuṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription here; it introduces the tīrtha’s divine origin and excellence.