Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

यत्राधिकृत्य शकुनीन्धर्माधर्मविचारणम् । पुराणं नवसाहस्रं मार्कण्डेयं तदुच्यते

Transliteration

yatrādhikṛtya śakunīndharmādharmavicāraṇam | purāṇaṃ navasāhasraṃ mārkaṇḍeyaṃ taducyate

Translation

ਜਿਸ ਪੁਰਾਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੰਛੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਆਧਾਰ ਬਣਾ ਕੇ ਧਰਮ ਅਤੇ ਅਧਰਮ ਦਾ ਵਿਚਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਨਵ-ਸਾਹਸ੍ਰ (ਨੌਂ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਸ਼ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਾਲਾ) ‘ਮਾਰਕੰਡੇਯ ਪੁਰਾਣ’ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक)

• अधिकृत्य: having taken up; concerning
• अधिकृत्य: Sambandha (Context/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि+कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग; “having taken up/with reference to”

• शकुनीन्: birds (omens)
• शकुनीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• धर्माधर्मविचारणम्: investigation of dharma and adharma
• धर्माधर्मविचारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अधर्म + विचारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्माधर्मयोः विचारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa (text)
• पुराणम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• नवसाहस्रम्: of nine thousand (verses)
• नवसाहस्रम्: Karta (Predicate qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (नव सहस्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक विशेषणम् (पुराणम्)

• मार्कण्डेयम्: (the text) Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ग्रन्थनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject of passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene sabhā-like setting at Prabhāsa: a sage recites a Purāṇa while birds perch nearby, symbolizing dharma-adharma inquiry through avian exempla; palm-leaf manuscripts and a waterbody/shoreline evoke the tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇas function as guides for discerning dharma and adharma through illustrative narratives and thematic frameworks.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, which elevates dharma-teaching as part of Prabhāsa’s sacred authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it identifies the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa and its thematic focus and length.