Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

कीर्त्यमानानि नामानि महापुण्यप्रदानि वै । पावनानि सदा लोके कलौ विप्रा विशेषतः

Transliteration

kīrtyamānāni nāmāni mahāpuṇyapradāni vai | pāvanāni sadā loke kalau viprā viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ਜੋ ਨਾਮ ਗਾਏ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ, ਉਹ ਮਹਾਂ ਪੁੰਨ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਨ; ਉਹ ਸਦਾ ਲੋਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾਵਨ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ—ਖ਼ਾਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਕਲਿਯੁਗ ਵਿੱਚ, ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੋ।

Word by Word

• कीर्त्यमानानि: being sung/recited
• कीर्त्यमानानि: Karma (as qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीर्तय् (धातु) + शानच्/मान (कृदन्त); कीर्त्यमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (नामानि)

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• महापुण्यप्रदानि: bestowing great merit
• महापुण्यप्रदानि: Karta (as qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पुण्य + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक); महापुण्यप्रदान (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (नामानि)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• पावनानि: purifying
• पावनानि: Karta (as qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (नामानि)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/अवधारणवाचक (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Prahlāda (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims and brāhmaṇas in Dvārakā sing the divine names; the sea-wind carries the chant; temple flags and conch-sounds frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Kali Yuga
• Nāma-kīrtana
• Vipras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Chanting divine names is a universally purifying act and is highlighted as especially potent in Kali Yuga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the surrounding māhātmya context; the verse emphasizes a portable tīrtha-practice—nāma-kīrtana—suitable for pilgrims.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nāma-kīrtana (recitation/singing of divine names) as a merit-giving, purifying discipline, particularly in Kali Yuga.