Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

विविधेषु च संभूतान्वंशेषु द्विजसत्तमान् । कथाश्रवणसोत्कण्ठानुपविष्टान्महा त्मनः

Transliteration

vividheṣu ca saṃbhūtānvaṃśeṣu dvijasattamān | kathāśravaṇasotkaṇṭhānupaviṣṭānmahā tmanaḥ

Translation

ਉਸ ਨੇ ਅਨੇਕ ਵੰਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਜਨਮੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ-ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖਿਆ—ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਜਨ, ਉੱਥੇ ਬੈਠੇ, ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਕਥਾ ਸੁਣਨ ਲਈ ਉਤਸੁਕ ਤੇ ਤਤਪਰ।

Word by Word

• विविधेषु: in various
• विविधेषु: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसके (अत्र ‘वंशेषु’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• संभूतान्: born, arisen
• संभूतान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+भू (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘द्विजसत्तमान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वंशेषु: in lineages, families
• वंशेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• द्विजसत्तमान्: the best of the brahmins
• द्विजसत्तमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म) (of implied ‘dadarśa’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः: द्विजेषु सत्तमाः (best among brahmins); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• कथाश्रवणसोत्कण्ठान्: eager to hear the stories
• कथाश्रवणसोत्कण्ठान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + स-उत्कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः: कथाश्रवणे सोत्कण्ठाः (eager for hearing stories); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘द्विजसत्तमान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• उपविष्टान्: seated
• उपविष्टान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+विश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘द्विजसत्तमान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa sages of diverse lineages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred assembly at Prabhāsa: venerable brāhmaṇas of diverse gotras seated in orderly rows, faces intent, eyes fixed on the speaker’s seat, the atmosphere of a tīrtha-sabhā charged with anticipation for Purāṇic narration.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• Rāma
• dvijasattama
• kathā-śravaṇa
• mahātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śravaṇa (reverent listening to sacred narrative) is upheld as a dhārmic practice, especially within a tīrtha where the mind easily turns toward merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, shown as a living center of sacred discourse and learned communities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied practice is kathā-śravaṇa (listening to sacred accounts), though no formal vow or donation is specified in this verse.