Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

प्रियपुत्रैश्चातकैश्च शुकैरन्यैर्विहंगमैः । श्रोत्ररम्यं सुमधुरं कूज द्भिश्चाप्यधिष्ठितैः

Transliteration

priyaputraiścātakaiśca śukairanyairvihaṃgamaiḥ | śrotraramyaṃ sumadhuraṃ kūja dbhiścāpyadhiṣṭhitaiḥ

Translation

ఆ స్థలం ప్రియపుత్ర, చాతక, శుక (చిలుక) మరియు ఇతర విహంగములతో నివసింపబడెను; వారి అత్యంత మధురమైన, చెవులకు హర్షదాయకమైన కూజన ధ్వనులు అక్కడ నిత్యం మార్మోగెను।

Word by Word

• प्रियपुत्रैः: by/with ‘dear-son’ birds (priyaputra)
• प्रियपुत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (प्रियः पुत्रः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Karmadhāraya compound, Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• आतकैः: by/with ātaka birds
• आतकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• शुकैः: by/with parrots
• शुकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अन्यैः: by/with other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (विशेषण) Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विहंगमैः: by/with birds
• विहंगमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहंगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• श्रोत्ररम्यम्: pleasing to the ear
• श्रोत्ररम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रोत्ररम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रोत्रस्य रम्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive tatpuruṣa, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• सुमधुरम्: very sweet
• सुमधुरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सु + मधुर), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• कूजद्भिः: by/with (those) cooing
• कूजद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूज् (धातु) → कूजत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Present active participle, Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय; particle ‘also/even’

• अधिष्ठितैः: by/with (those) occupying/inhabiting
• अधिष्ठितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि + स्था (धातु) → अधिष्ठित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Past passive participle, Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, intimate grove scene: parrots and cātakas among branches, small birds clustered; their open-beaked singing forms a visible ‘sound’ rhythm; a pilgrim stands still, eyes half-closed, absorbing the sweetness.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• priyaputra
• cātaka
• śuka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are portrayed as naturally conducive to serenity and devotion, where even sound becomes auspicious.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a māhātmya description of the tīrtha’s pleasing atmosphere.