Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ततः सुकन्या संवीता तावुवाच सुरोत्तमौ । शर्यातितनयां वित्तं भार्यां च च्यवनस्य माम्

Transliteration

tataḥ sukanyā saṃvītā tāvuvāca surottamau | śaryātitanayāṃ vittaṃ bhāryāṃ ca cyavanasya mām

Translation

అప్పుడు సుకన్య సరిగా ఆవృతమై, ఆ దేవశ్రేష్ఠులకు ఇలా చెప్పింది—“నన్ను శర్యాతి కుమార్తెగా, చ్యవనుని భార్యగా తెలుసుకోండి।”

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (then/thereupon)

• sukanyā: Sukanyā
• sukanyā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सु + कन्या; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• saṃvītā: covered/veiled
• saṃvītā: Karta (Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-vī (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tau: those two (them)
• tau: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• sura-uttamau: O best of the gods (you two)
• sura-uttamau: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सुराणाम् उत्तमौ; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• śaryāti-tanayām: the daughter of Śaryāti
• śaryāti-tanayām: Karma (Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaryāti (प्रातिपदिक) + tanayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: शर्यातेर् तनया; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vittam: know (it)/be aware
• vittam: Kriya (Predicative/statement)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vid (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (वाक्ये) ‘वित्तम्’ = ‘जानितम्/विदितम्’ इति भावे, क्रियाविशेषणवत्

• bhāryām: wife
• bhāryām: Karma (Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• cyavanasya: of Cyavana
• cyavanasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cyavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object; in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sukanyā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sukanyā, veiled and composed, identifies herself as Śaryāti’s daughter and Cyavana’s wife before the Aśvins; her posture conveys modesty and firmness.

Characters & Entities

• Sukanyā
• Śaryāti
• Cyavana
• Aśvinau

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Modesty and clarity of one’s dharmic identity—especially fidelity and truth—are upheld even when confronted by powerful beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, through the Cyavana-centered Māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse models modest conduct (saṃvīta) as dharmic decorum.